Here we go for chapter 7! This time, the chapter was entirely written by me. I felt very inspired for this one, and I couldn't wait until we reach it. :)
Disclamer: I own nothing, non profit purposes. OUAT belongs to Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis; SM belongs to Naoko Takeuchi/Toei.
Broken Friendship, Broken Love. The giant of Beanstalk Castle.
Enchanted Forest, present day
Hook, Mulan, Aurora, Rosalie, Danielle and Emma pursued their journey as soon as the sun rose. It did not take too long to finally arrive to the beanstalk. As everybody looked at it, Emma commented that it was uglier than she remembered it from the fairytale.
"It reminds of death…" – Mulan added.
"Well, then let's get started." – Hook said.
"Wait… If those beans open portals… why don't we take a bean instead, to go home?" – Emma asked in confusion.
"Because there are no beans left." – the pirate replied – "The story you know, my dear, is definitely not correct."
"Well, I remember there was a guy named Jack, a cow… and a giant with treasures, and… a golden goose… I think."
"It seems as a sweet story." – Hook commented with irony – "But the truth is a bit harsher. The giants used to grow beans, but not with good intentions. But in order to plunder other lands. Jack battled against them, and defeated all of them, except one. Before they died, the giants destroyed all the beans, so nobody could use its magic. They really were cruel."
"So, why nobody climbs there, to make other beans grow anew?" – Rosalie asked.
"Because the most terrible of the giants survived." – Killian answered – "That's why we must climb there, and take the magic compass, by avoiding him. All the treasures up there, including the compass, remained. That compass will lead you to your home. Cora can open a portal using the aches of the platform, but she cannot reach your world without the compass. As soon as we get it, we're going to steal the aches, in order to go where you need."
"And how can we be sure that you're not using us in order to get the compass for Cora?" – Mulan asked not without suspicion.
Captain Hook looked at the team of the ladies, and then he answered:
"Because you five are a more secure company. I just need travelling means. I'm ready to team with anyone who would bring me to destination first."
After a short second of reflection, they decided that it was about time to start climbing the beanstalk. However, Hook told them that the beanstalk has a protection spell on it. Cora gave him a remedy against it, which as a bracelet on his right wrist.
"I have a second one, since Cora was supposed to accompany me." – Killian said – "So, who of you five beauties will take her place, hmm? Don't fear to fight for it."
Rosalie only rolled her eyes in annoyance of the pirate's latter words. But he had a point. They had to decide wisely of who should go on that dangerous mission, on the side of a villain.
Portland, 2010
Emma was in a supermarket, buying food for the week, as her foster family ordered her to. She was following the list she was given, and as she moved her eyes from it a second, she saw a teenage boy, who seemed to be around sixteen. Emma noted to herself that he was cute. The guy noticed her too and during a brief moment, they exchanged a smile. Emma then returned to her task, avoiding thinking about the guy. Then, she heard a manager of the supermarket say to someone:
"Hey, where do you think you're going?"
Emma looked up and saw that the boy was actually caught in stealing! It didn't take for her to react, and she approached them, saying:
"Hey bro, you found what I was looking for!"
She took the pack of cookies he tried to steal and put it in the caddy. Emma tried to look as innocent as possible, which encouraged the boy doing the same. The manager asked:
"You two know each other..?"
"Yes, he's my brother." – Emma replied with a smile.
The boy nodded, with a small smile too, and a moment later, the manager went away. The guy sighed in relief, and he said:
"Thank you very much… Smart trick, by the way."
"I learned it from a friend…" – Emma said with a hint of sadness, but she quickly composed herself – "My name's Emma. What is yours?"
"You can call me Neal." – the teen said a bit shily.
Enchanted Forest, present day
The ladies were standing under the beanstalk, trying to decide who would climb it. Mulan wanted it to be her, because she had the best physical condition for this. But Rosalie protested, pointing out that she and her friends are Sailor Guardians, and they have better chances than Mulan does.
"Alright, let it be…" – Mulan said – "But only one of you three can go up there. You indeed are impressive, but it's because you're a team. What happens once you're separated?"
"She might have a point…" – Aurora commented.
"Thanks for the worry, but we're already separated from three others of us, and we're doing just fine." – Danielle said with a partially sarcastic tone – "Anyway, I think I should climb."
"Hey, why you?" – Emma said, not very pleased by the idea.
"I saved us from Cora, and from a giant humanoid spider." – Danielle pointed out – "A giant is not something I could not deal with."
"But it's well known that the chance tends to change sides when it's the most inconvenient." – Emma replied to her friend, not without a hint of an unpleasant grin.
Danielle glared at her, clearly unpleased by her friend's words and behavior. Before she could reply her anything, Rosalie spoke:
"Girls, I have been Sailor R for much longer than you were guardians… I'm I can do it."
"Come on, you named me the leader two days ago! I'm going up there." – Danielle protested.
Emma sighed in exasperation. As Danielle gave her an interrogative look, Emma grabbed her wrist and led her five steps away from the rest of the group. She spoke in a low tone, so others and Hook (especially Hook) couldn't hear:
"What's your problem, huh?"
"You think I have a problem?" – Danielle asked in the same low tone – "I think it's you, on the contrary. You clearly are against the idea for me to go up there."
"And I think you try to find a way to spend some time with Hook." – Emma replied, finally going straight to the point.
Danielle had a short laugh. It was the kind of laugh you have in disbelief, just as Danielle couldn't believe what Emma finally dared to say. She shook her head and said:
"You spoke about Hook, not me. You can't bear the thought that he and me would be side by side during long hours, am I right?"
"It must be me." – Emma said, avoiding this subject – "I'm the princess of the Heavens, remember? I'm the owner of the Eternal Crystal."
"But what's the point, since your Star Wand happens to be broken?" – Danielle said a bit harshly.
Emma's face almost completely fell at her words. Rosalie approached them, saying:
"Girls, really, the best solution for you it's that I go up…"
"No, you are not going!" – Emma and Danielle almost yelled in unison.
Rosalie only raised her both hands, in an apologetic manner, and walked back to Mulan and Aurora. Emma then turned back to Danielle and said:
"Look, you truly should let me climb that damn beanstalk. If you go, and that something goes not as planned, guess who will be angry?"
Danielle understood Emma talked about Regina. Damn, that was a smart move. The last thing Danielle wanted is for her mother to return to her evil tendencies. She blamed Snow White during long years for her "death", spent her life trying to get her revenge. If Regina ever got to blame the Guardians for her death by the giant, she had no clue if Regina would be able to let go. Danielle sighed and said:
"Alright, Emma… you can go."
Then, she walked to Rosalie, Aurora and Mulan. After that, Mulan gave to Emma some powder, which could make the giant fall asleep. Emma then approached Hook, who commented:
"I like knew it would be you."
He put the bracelet on Emma's right wrist and he added:
"It permits you climb up there. But there are more dangers. Fortunately, you have me as a protection."
He gestured at his missing left hand, indicating that he needed his hook back where it was supposed to be. Emma didn't seem agreeing with the idea, but Killian said:
"I cannot climb with only one hand."
Since there was no choice, Emma gave him the hook. Then, Emma and Killian started the very high climbing.
Sometime later, as they were very far away from the ground, Hook tried to relax the atmosphere with conversations. Emma indeed needed it, because it was so high, and it was quite scary. But she would not give him the satisfaction of feeling useful to her. Killian asked:
"Your first beanstalk, huh? Yeah, you never forget the first."
But Emma did not reply. The pirate pursued, not without his usual grin:
"You know, your silence would push guys away, but… I like the difficulties."
"I'm concentrated."
"No, you're scared. You're afraid to talk, to open yourself, to trust me. That's a pity. Things would go much better."
"You should get used to the distrust." – Emma commented.
"Right, I'm a pirate… But I don't need your faith, because you're already an open book."
"Oh, really?" – Emma asked with a hint of irony and an unimpressed look on her face.
"You care for your friends; that's why you climbed. You want to protect them, even though you seem to not have all the necessary means to do so."
"He must have heard about my Star Wand…" – Emma thought.
"They are practically the only family you knew for so long, right..?" – Hook asked.
This time, Emma got quite taken aback by this half-statement. How could he have guessed? Noticing her expression, Hook had a short chuckle, and he said:
"I told you, an open book."
"How did you guess..?"
"I spent years in Neverland." – Hook replied – "That's a place where live the lost boys. Sometimes, your look in your eyes reminds me theirs… You have been alone during long years, am I right?"
"Yes… until the day I met them." – Emma finally confessed, before she hid her emotions back, by stating – "But our world is not Neverland."
"An orphan is the same anywhere. You missed love in your life…" – Hook pursued.
"Not anymore. I have five best friends, two nice cats, and I found my parents." – Emma protested.
"If you say so, but… have you ever been in love?"
Emma definitely didn't want speak about that with the pirate. But she didn't show him the pain she felt during a second and she replied with a sad smile:
"No. I never was."
Portland, 2010
It has been several weeks that Emma and Neal first met. Emma often went to meet him somewhere in secret, and they had much fun together. Neal didn't have a very good reputation around, because he barely had something he could call a "home", and he often had to steal something to eat. But with Emma, his life became brighter. They both found a friend in each other, but they both knew that it was becoming something more. Neal could not spend a day without thinking of Emma, and Emma could barely wait until the day they would see each other again. Today was one of those days, and Emma ran to their meeting point. She greeted him, smiling brightly and she always did when she saw him:
"Hi, Neal."
"Hi, Emma. How are you?" – he replied – "Where would you like to go today?"
"I don't care, as much as we are together." – Emma replied, blushing slightly of the words she just has said to him.
"Okay then. Let's just walk for a while." – Neal said – "By the way, there's a little something I stole for you."
"Neal…" – Emma sighed, shaking her head slightly.
"Don't you worry, nothing expensive, really…"
Neal then took out of his pocket a pin and then, he attached it on Emma's coat. Emma looked at it, and as she saw what it represented, she mumbled:
"Oh Neal, it's… it's a Sailor R pins…!"
"Yes… I know how you adore Sailor R. So, when I saw it in a store yesterday, I couldn't resist but steal it for you."
Emma looked at him a second and then she gave him an excited hug. She didn't mind that the pin was stolen, Neal wanted to please her, and that's what not many people did in her life. Neal hugged her back, and as he pulled away slightly, he said:
"I would have bought it for you, if I hadn't spent the few dollars I had… I would like to give you much more, Emma…"
Emma looked in his eyes, seeing like through him, what he meant by his words. They stared at each other a moment, and then Neal leaned to her and kissed her lips. Emma felt so happy, it was her first kiss, and it was the most beautiful moment of her life yet. After awhile, they pulled away, and Emma asked, wondering if what she's experiencing was real:
"So, does that mean you…?"
"Wasn't it clear enough?" – Neal asked with a grin, as he kissed Emma once more, as she couldn't help but giggle of happiness between kisses.
Enchanted Forest, present day
Mulan, Aurora, Rosalie and Danielle were anxiously looking up at the beanstalk, wondering how Emma was doing. Rosalie sat on a stone and put her face in her hands. Aurora set right next to her daughter, and put her hand on her shoulder, saying:
"It's alright, Rosalie… I'm sure your friend is okay."
"I hope so… I still think it should have been me." – Rosalie commented with sadness.
"Well, what's done is done." – Aurora said – "I'm glad to see how you care about her. That my vision came true."
Rosalie looked at her questioningly. Her vision? She didn't need to ask, because Aurora explained:
"When I was expecting you, your father and me went to find a unicorn. A unicorn has the power to show a preview of the future. I needed to know about Maleficent's threat. I searched for a way to protect you from it."
Rosalie looked at Aurora with deep emotions in her eyes. Her mother actually always cared for her that much (not that she had doubts, but see it by herself was pleasant). Aurora pursued:
"And what I saw did not answer to my question but… I saw something else. I saw that you are a hero, Rosalie. You were protecting Snow and Charming's child. And I… before even you were born, I felt very proud of you, of the person you're about to become."
Rosalie suddenly hugged her mother, emotions taking over her. After a sob, Rosalie said:
"I… I never thought that… I would someday hear those words from a mother…"
Aurora's eyes got teary too, and she hugged her daughter back. She whispered:
"I'm really sorry, Rosalie… that I could not be on your side all those years… But now that we found each other, I don't intend to let you go."
Rosalie felt sadness, but also happiness. Like Aurora said, it was really sad they missed fourteen years together. But she had to live the present, and enjoy all what it could bring. They finally could be a family. Aurora then said:
"It's too bad that Philip died, before even he could meet you."
Rosalie only nodded in sadness. She wished she could have met her father too, but fate is sometimes too cruel. She then looked in Danielle's direction, as she was pacing nervously, and thought that she neither had the chance to know her father. And Cecilia was in the same position. The thought of the Guardian of wind made her look up at the beanstalk again, praying that Emma would be back with the compass, and that they would reach Storybrooke very soon.
Meanwhile, Captain Hook and Emma finally reached the top. They looked around; it looked like a huge half destroyed castle. Emma asked:
"What happened around here..?"
"That's where the last battle happened." – Hook said, before he noticed that Emma's hand was bleeding – "Give me your hand."
Emma looked at it in confusion, before she noticed on her turn that it was indeed injured. At that moment she wished Alex was there, she could heal it in no time. The simple thought of Alex saddened her a bit. Hook said:
"Your hand is injured, let me help you."
"But it's alright."
"No, it's not." – the pirate protested, grabbing the girl's wrist.
"You're trying to be a gentleman?" – Emma asked sarcastically.
"The giants can smell blood." – Hook replied before adding – "And I'm always a gentleman."
Hook then versed some rum on the wound, which was rather painful. After that he put a bandage around Emma's injured hand. Even though Emma tried to look as she did not care, she could not deny (at least to herself) that she felt butterflies in her stomach during the whole process. But she definitely wouldn't give the pirate the satisfaction to see that he had some effect on her. As he finished, the pirate shared his plan: they would wait until the giant falls asleep, after what they would search for the compass, and as they find it, they run away. But Emma said that they rather use the powder Mulan gave them, to make the giant asleep, that would be less risky. Hook agreed on that, commenting that she indeed was a strong girl. At that moment, Emma noticed a tattoo on his wrist, representing the name 'Milah'.
"Who's Milah?" – Emma asked by curiosity.
"… It was a long time ago…" – Hook replied, before he started to walk to the castle's entry – "She's dead now."
It did not take long for Emma to understand:
"Gold… Rumplestiltskin… He took more than your hand, right? That's why you want to kill him."
"You're rather perceptive, for someone who has never been in love." – Hook commented as he turned to her.
"Maybe I was, once."
Portland, 2011
Neal and Emma met once again, and after a short kiss, Neal noticed that Emma seemed a bit down. He asked his girlfriend:
"Emma… something's wrong?"
"Not really, it's just… The foster family somehow found out about you and me… and they 'strictly advised' me that I should put an end to our relationship." – Emma explained sadly.
"Oh… I see…" – Neal said.
Before he could retreat, Emma grabbed his arm, and hurried to say:
"But it's okay, Neal. I don't want to end this. I don't care what they think."
"It's not okay, Emma." – Neal protested – "Maybe they're right, we should not be together. I am not the best boyfriend option for you, Emma. I don't want to see you suffer, because of me."
"But I will not, Neal." – Emma said – "You're what makes me happy… I never was during so long years. And I make you happy too, you said it to me. So, let's not private each other of the best we could get in this rough world."
Neal sighed, and shook his head slightly. He was in thought during a moment, before he said:
"I don't want to end this either, Emma. But… if your foster family doesn't approve, what do you think could happen next? What if they decide to transfer you again?"
Emma lowered her head in sadness. She knew he had a point, that nothing can stop them from doing so. She then asked:
"What do you suggest…?"
"What if… what if we run away, far away from here, together?" – Neal asked, looking straight in her eyes.
"But… where…?" – Emma asked.
"Hmm… here!" – Neal said, taking a bit creased USA map from under his coat – "Close your eyes and put your finger anywhere. That would be our destination."
Emma grinned, and she did as her boyfriend asked. As she pointed her finger, she opened her eyes, to see that it would be "Tallahassee".
"Tallahassee… Not bad." – Neal commented.
"So, Tallahassee it is..!" – Emma squealed in excitement, before kissing Neal.
Enchanted Forest, present day
Emma, who transformed into Sailor Light, climbed on statute next to the front door. Hook started to hit a bone against a huge shield, in order to make the giant exit the castle. It did not take long for the giant, whose name was Anton, to appear. As soon as she showed off, Killian Jones shouted:
"Hey! Hey, you! Yes, you! Wanna kill a human?! I'm a horrible one, so come on! Come on!"
As he was provoking the giant, Hook ran in the direction of the statute. The giant was about to hit the pirate, Emma pulled the bag with the powder right on his face. A second later, Anton fell on the floor, making it tremble. Then, Hook said:
"It seems like we're a good team."
"Let's get the compass." – Emma replied.
As they entered the castle, they got impressed by all the treasures which filled the room. Captain Hook could not help himself but admire all the golden coins around. Emma reminded him that they had no clue how long the magic powder had its effects, and they had to hurry to find the compass. As they walked, trying to find what they were after, Emma commented:
"How will we find the compass in this mess?"
"Well, we'll have to search… I wonder how much treasures we could take down the beanstalk… along with the compass, of course."
They then saw a skeleton lying on the floor, and according to the name written on the sword, it was Jack, the one who defeated the giants. While they were looking around, Hook didn't notice that he was about to walk straight to a thread. But Emma did.
"Stop…!"
Before he touched the thread, she grabbed him and pulled him to her, making him back away from it. So, they found themselves in a hug-like position, and Emma felt her cheeks burn.
"Finally…" – the pirate commented.
Damn, what has she just done? Emma retreated from him, as she mentally cursed herself. She hoped that Danielle would never learn about this little incident.
"That's a trap." – Emma explained, showing the thread, noticing that it was connected to a huge cage hanging on the ceiling – "It's a good guarding system."
"Well, that's a good excuse for hugging me, but next time you can forget about the circumstances." – Killian said, with his seducing grin.
"Let's find the compass, and return home." – Emma said, sighing in annoyance.
Portland, 2011
Neal was walking through the night streets, ready for his journey on Emma's side. Very soon, they could live however they wanted, without any pressure from other people. He said her that they would meet at 22:00 pm, at a car park they both knew well. Suddenly, his thoughts got interrupted as a black cat suddenly jumped from nowhere and stood in front of him. The cat was gazing him with intensity, and Neal noticed that it had a golden star mark on its forehead. Neal didn't expect what happened next, because the cat actually talked.
"Do you care about Emma? In that case, let her go."
Neal almost shouted, hearing the cat talking. He walked two steps back, and he said:
"You… you can talk?!"
"Yes, and my name is Lux." – the cat replied.
"Alright… but… but how do you know Emma…?" – Neal asked, realizing what Lux said him earlier.
"That's a long story. But trust me, you want to hear it." – the cat replied.
"So, Lux… who are you?"
"I… I was sort of assigned to be Emma's advisor. I must to be her guide, to help her fulfill her destiny. I woke from a long stasis about two years ago, and I searched for her since then."
"Well, her destiny is me!" – Neal protested, not ready to give up to a talking cat – "We care about each other very much, and we will in the future!"
"You love her…" – Lux commented – "In that case, please, let her go."
"What..? Never!"
"You don't understand… there's too much at stake. Emma doesn't know yet, but she is a Sailor Guardian, and she has an important mission, to bring light into the realms and destroy the great evil and darkness." – the cat explained, insisting on the importance of the stake.
"A Sailor Guardian…? Like Sailor R or something…?" – Neal said, with a sort of nervous laugh.
"Please, could you stay focused?" – Lux sighed in annoyance – "If Emma stays with you, she won't be able to follow the right path. If she doesn't, the consequences could be terrible. Our whole world could be submerged in darkness."
Neal didn't reply. He wasn't about to leave Emma, but what the cat just said quite worried him. A world of darkness wasn't an appealing thought at all.
"You know what true darkness is, Neal, don't you?" – Lux pursued.
The young man then shook his head, as recomposing himself, and then said to the cat:
"Well, if you need a hero, you better ask someone else… like Sailor R, or… I don't know. A new life awaits Emma and me in Tallahassee. See ya!"
As he said that, Neal just started to walk away, not even giving the cat a second glance. But he did not walk too far, as he suddenly felt the cat jump on his back. Neal glared at Lux, shouting:
"Hey! Get off of me…!"
Before he had the time to push Lux, the cat suddenly whispered something in Neal's ear. This made the guy froze in his current position for a moment. After a minute, he just stared in the cat's eyes. Lux then finally broke the silence:
"There's a curse, which has to be broken. And Emma is one of the important keys to success. Emma and five other girls must become Sailor Guardians. Only if all the six are reunited, the curse can be finally broken."
Neal lowered his head, unable to say anything. Lux pursued:
"Now, you must take a decision. I know it's hard. But you must take the right one. As I said before, there's too much at stake."
Enchanted Forest, present day
Killian and Emma were still searching for the compass, with no much success. But then, they got a much bigger problem. The ground started to tremble, and it could mean only one thing.
"Someone just woke up…" – Hook said.
The giant then entered the room, full of rage. As he saw them, he ran in their direction. Emma and Hook had no time to hide somewhere. Due Anton's weight, the castle was trembling, and some parts of a ceiling fell on Hook. Emma looked horrified and a second later, she got grabbed by the giant. He started to press Sailor Light in his hand, which made her suffer. She shouted:
"No…! I'm not what you think…!"
"You're a thief, and you poisoned me!" – the giant shouted – "I'm sure you're exactly what I think you are!"
"No! Look, you have a compass, I need it!"
"I don't care what you need!"
"I need it to help my friends, so we could reunite with our families!" – Sailor Light pleaded – "Do you have any friends or family?"
"No! Because humans killed them all!" – Anton answered and intensified his pressure.
Emma started to feel really bad due to this. But then, she got an idea. She bit the giant's hand, which made him let her fall on the floor. The Guardian started to run, and the giant pursued her, screaming of rage. As Emma saw the thread of the trap, she grabbed her tiara, shouting:
"Light Tiara Magic!"
The tiara flew straight to the thread and it broke it in one second. Emma ran a bit further, as the cage fell right on the giant. Sailor Light then grabbed Jack's sword on the ground and approached the giant, who was now lying on the floor under his own cage. She pointed the sword to his eye, and he immediately closed his eyes, begging:
"No, no, no…"
"According to your reaction, you know what it is. Let me guess, there's some poison on it?" – Emma said – "You have a compass, and I need it."
"You'll kill me anyway." – Anton replied – "Go ahead, kill me."
"You don't know me…" – Emma said in disbelief of how he could think that.
"I know how you, humans, are." – Anton said – "They killed us and destroyed the beans."
"That's not the story I heard."
"It's because the stories are written by the winners."
Emma pointed the sword to him a little further, which made Anton surrender and he gave her the famous magic compass. As Emma took it, Anton said:
"See..? I'm not a bad guy."
Emma looked at him a moment, and then she said to him:
"Maybe you're saying the truth… Well, I have to go now. Are there more of your people?"
"No… I'm alone." – Anton replied with sadness.
Sailor Light looked at him with compassion. She knew how it was to be alone, as well as seeing your own home destroyed and all the people you love to be killed. Then, she saw something next to him, and asked:
"What is this, a bean? Could it open a portal?"
"Not anymore. It was destroyed, along with others. I keep this one, as a reminder that all humans are murderers!"
"You are wrong." – Emma said – "I'm a Sailor Guardian. I fight for the peace on the realms."
At those words, Emma started to walk away. Anton suddenly broke the cage and stood up. Emma feared a moment that he would attack her, but he actually revealed a small (well, for her it was big) hole between the floor and the wall. He then asked her to go. Emma looked up at him, asking why he let her go away. Anton replied:
"Because you could have killed me, but you didn't. For that, I owe you a favor, and now go away, before I change my mind!"
Sailor Light was about to go, but she then stopped and said:
"You actually owe me two favors."
"What..?!"
"I could have killed you twice." – Emma noted – "With the poisoned sword, and also when you were asleep."
Anton agreed for the second favor. Then, Emma helped Hook to go out from under the stones, who happened to be quite alright. The pirate said:
"You're so damn amazing… Can I see the compass?"
Emma showed it to him. Then, she took his hand, as if they were about to go down together, but then she just unchained the pirate.
"What… what are you doing…?" – the pirate asked in a dangerous tone.
"Hook, I… I can't…"
"Emma, look at me. Have I ever lied to you? I brought you here, put myself in danger to help you… You have the compass, so why are you doing this now?"
"I can't take the risk to trust you… I'm sorry."
"You're SORRY?! Now, you'll let me die here? You'll let that beast eat me?!" – the pirate shouted in anger, still not believing that Emma could do this to him.
"He's not a beast!" – Emma corrected him – "And you won't die. I just need to gain some time, that's all."
At those words, the girl walked away, as Hook kept shouting for her, in anger and frustration.
"Swan…! Swan!"
Portland, 2011
Emma was standing at her meeting point, waiting for Neal. She looked at her watch. It was already 22:20 pm. Where could Neal be? He promised to be there at 22:00 pm.
"Calm down, Emma. It's only 20 minutes… Maybe he's just late. He probably had an impediment."
But what kind of impediment could he have? It made no sense. Every minute, every hour, Emma's anxiety only grew. But she tried to not lose hope. She had to believe he would come; there were no reasons he wouldn't. He loved her, at least that's what he showed her… But was it really love? She was inexperienced in this area, maybe she misunderstood. She was in love with him, she was sure of that. But what about him? Emma kept torturing herself with those questions and wonders the whole night. As she saw that it was the sunrise, she couldn't help but let tears escape her eyes. She understood at that moment that Neal would never come.
"It was all a mistake… just a game." – she thought – "I was fool to think that he felt the same way about me, as I felt about him…"
Then, she hurried to walk back at her foster family house. She had to arrive before they woke up and realize that she was gone. As she arrived in the house, she fell in her bed, and silently cried in the pillow, completely heartbroken.
Enchanted Forest, present day
As Emma finally reached the ground, her friends and allies ran to her. Rosalie asked:
"Oh, Emma…! I was so worried! Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am… Here is the compass…" – Emma replied, giving the object to Mulan.
"Hey, and where's Hook…?" – Danielle suddenly asked.
"He's under arrest up there, for ten hours." – Emma replied simply, before adding – "Thanks for asking how I'm doing, by the way."
"What…? I… I don't like your insinuations!" – Danielle composed herself after a taken aback moment – "Well, sorry, I didn't ask!"
"Sure thing, love interest passes first." – Emma commented before she turned around.
She however wondered a moment why she acted this way around her friend. Emma felt a little ashamed of this. Danielle suddenly made Emma turn around, and said in a stern tone:
"We're not done! I don't like your insinuations!"
"Isn't that true? You insisted the most to climb up there, and the reason is evident!"
"Yeah, but you used my weak point to win the place on Hook's side!" – Danielle protested.
"Oh come on..! But the point is: I climbed straight into danger; I could have died up there! And all you care about is that I was on Hook's side? Not fair!"
"Don't play the victim!" – Danielle shouted, feeling how each second her temper was a little more lost – "It's not like you climbed up there because you care for us. You just grabbed the opportunity to have the alone time with the pirate..!"
Rosalie, Aurora and Mulan were watching at the scene from aside. After a moment, Rosalie said:
"Their fighting about the pirate is so annoying, that I almost hope we'll never see him again…"
"You said it, Rosalie…" – Mulan commented.
The three of them couldn't suppress a loud sigh after the warrior's words.
After the sunset, Danielle sat next to the fire again. The atmosphere lightened up from before, her argument with Emma stopped almost as quickly as it started. She and Emma made up, but Danielle felt sad, wondering how she and her friend could have ended like this. They used to be good friends before. During her whole childhood, she used to be unappreciated. But after she met Emma, things have changed. And now… she was letting show her "worse" side. Danielle didn't mean a half of what she said to Emma earlier, and she was sure Emma didn't either. So, why was she acting this way around Emma? All of this because of a guy? Danielle hated the fact that she was letting the pirate stand between her and Emma, they had a strong friendship. But at the same time, Captain Hook made born some strange, but positive feelings in her. And he was also the cause to the much less pleasant feelings, which Danielle felt as she saw Emma around him too.
"It's just that… it's for the first time I feel something like this for someone. It's all so new… And I'm just not sure how to deal with all those new feelings." – Danielle thought, as she put her face in her hands – "I wonder what Regina would have advised…"
As the thought of her mother crossed her head, she remembered of her mirror incident. She hadn't told anybody yet, because she didn't want to give false hope, in case it doesn't work. Maybe it was the opportunity to try again? She took her small mirror again, and she looked straight into in, trying to focus.
"Come on, Danielle… Let's give it a try… you can do this…"
A/N: So? What did you think about it? Sorry if the Portland parst were shorter, but didn't have more ideas about it...
We finally have the serious of the love triangle! Yay! Don't worry, that doesn't mean Emma and Danielle aren't friends anymore. It's just that from the beginning I suggested that they would argue (as Usagi and Rei), since they're daughters of old enemies. But then, my friend suggested that they would be arguing once they both fall in love with Hook. That's how the Emma/Hook/Danielle triangle was born. ^^