A/N: Hello, lovely readers! Here is a chapter to tide you over until tomorrow. As always, the reviews were amazing! Thanks for the love!
Now enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter Ten
Ow…head throbbing…honeymoon…perfect time to have a killer hangover. A thousand thoughts pounded through Emma's head as she slowly awoke.
It didn't surprise her that Gold was driving or that he was lacking a hangover, unlike her. Though, a drunken Gold would have been amusing. She groaned as she sat up, rubbing her temples. This is almost as bad as the morning I woke up in his bed. At least I have my clothes on.
"About time you're awake. I figured we could stop for breakfast," Gold told her, glancing in her direction. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask where they were, but she wasn't sure her aching mind could absorb the information. Ow…throbbing…breakfast…
"I'm not hungry," she murmured, closing her eyes against the headache. It was right behind her eyes—the absolute worst. Throb…throb…throb…
"Coffee will help the hangover," he replied. Emma felt the pain in her skull increase. Coffee sounded good. Ruby's coffee was especially good and it made her miss Storybrooke just a little.
Gradually, she opened her eyes and noticed one of Gold's hands trying to soothe his bad leg. A flash of a memory—I could rub it for you—and Emma smirked.
"Is your leg really sore or are you trying to get me to rub it again?" Gold's hand paused and his brown eyes stared at her in slight surprise. It was the first time she'd ever really struck him speechless.
"So, you remember that, do you?" Emma's head spun and black spots danced in front of her eyes. If Gold was smart, he'd find a suitable place to have breakfast soon or that would be another suit ruined. "What else do you remember?" A tricky question, considering her mind was half-numb at the moment.
"I remember…dancing. And falling off…something. And I remember you carrying me over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes!" Emma glared at him. How gentlemanly was that?
Gold guided the car into an IHOP on the side of the road and braked. Swiftly, he faced Emma and raised a finger before her face.
"First, you did dance—very well, I might point out. On top of a bar, as circumstances would have it," he reminded her. Emma opened her mouth to protest; never had she danced on top of a bar. Gold raised another finger, silencing her before she could say a word. "Second, you fell off the bar and I caught you."
"How romantic," Emma sarcastically interjected, imagining herself literally falling into Gold's arms. Gold ignored her comment, now holding out three fingers and leaning closely so that they were only inches away.
"Third, darling, I carried you out of that bar. Because if I didn't, you would have gotten right back on that bar and something worse may have occurred." Emma stared at him almost in astonishment.
"Oh," she murmured. Gee, why didn't I think of that? Mr. Gold's fingers tapped the steering wheel.
"Oh," he mimicked her. "Now, if we're clear on that subject…I'm feeling quite ravenous."
"Let me guess: you've never been inside an IHOP, either?"
Emma noted the way Gold observed every detail, his brown eyes missing nothing around him. The sweet aroma of maple syrup, the sizzling of bacon, the friendly waitresses—it must have been like Chuck E. Cheese to him. Bet he's never been there, either.
"You're well on your way to educating me, Emma. At this rate, I'll excel in no time," he replied, folding his hands neatly atop the red table. Emma caught the double meaning. Everything Gold said had a double meaning when it was directed at her.
"Why do you do that?" Emma studied him inquisitively, as if he were a walking Rubik's cube. She had never been able to solve those stupid puzzles.
Gold maintained an innocent, blank face—the man could probably deceive a lie detector.
"Do what, exactly?" I don't know what you mean, the unspoken message came across clear. The smell of bacon increased, distracting her for a moment. God, she was hungry. Focus, Emma.
"Why is there always a double meaning with you?" It sounded like an accusation and maybe it was. Gold shrugged, his eyes never faltering.
"There's only a double meaning if you're searching for it, Emma." She stared at him, trying desperately to figure him out. And all the while she was an open book to him. Gold was the only one she could never break, the one who surprised her at every turn.
"What are you insinuating?" Emma laid her arms on the table and leaned forward, matching his strong gaze. Intensity sparked between them as she leaned; she didn't know why exactly, but she suddenly pictured Lady and the Tramp and the spaghetti-kissing scene. Charming.
"I'm not insinuating anything. All I'm suggesting is that—"
"That I'm attracted to you?" Emma scoffed. Gold settled back on his side of the booth, a slow grin curving his lips. It was the kind of smile that made her crave a shower. Good thing he's got a lot of money. I have a feeling I'll be running up his water bill during this marriage.
"You see, I never said that. You did." Gold smoothed his hands down the front of his suit, a thin smirk on his lips. Oh, God, how that man got under her skin. Not that she would ever admit that to him. Unless I'm drunk. I'm like the female Pinocchio when I drink.
"All that happened was me dancing and…and falling into your arms…and rubbing your leg…and marrying you," Emma admitted, realizing just how long that list of intimacies was. Did most people do those things after getting married? "Okay, but that doesn't mean there's anything serious between us, Gold. I have more attraction for Archie than I do for you."
Okay, maybe that was harsh.
Gold glanced away, body becoming stiff. He licked his lips, that tongue sliding in and out as quick as a snake's.
"'All that happened?' You forgot the part where you straddled me and I kissed you. Oh, and the fact you kissed back. When you consider 'all that', Emma…we might as well have sex and be done with it."
Their waitress chose that moment to appear by their side and Emma was sure she had caught the last few words of Gold's rant. Emma blushed and buried her head in her hands.
"Umm…what can I get y'all this mornin'?" Yep, the waitress heard. And she seemed the type to enjoy the bluntness of Gold's choice of words. He flashed their blonde waitress a mischievous smile.
"Don't worry, dearie. This isn't our first date. Right, honey?" Emma lifted her head and forced a smile for the waitress. I am going to kill him. Next time I straddle him, I'll have rope and duct tape in my hands.
"I'll have blueberry pancakes, some bacon, sausages, and two eggs—sunny-side up," Emma ordered, whipping the menu at her a little too harshly. The waitress struggled to jot all of it down and grab the menu at the same time.
"I have a feeling our grocery budget will need increasing to accommodate your appetite, Emma," Gold commented while fixing his tie. The waitress giggled, but dipped into a coughing fit when Emma shot her a piercing look. "I happen to like girls with great appetites. Girls who are not easily satisfied."
Not easily satisfied, huh? No wonder you married me, Emma thought as she awaited Gold's order so that the blonde waitress would stop mentally undressing him.
"And what'll you be havin', sugah?" The waitress's back was now facing Emma and there was a hand planted expertly on her hip. Oh, boy. This waitress is actually digging him. God help her.
"I will settle for the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity." Emma snorted in laughter as Gold handed the waitress his menu. He arched an eyebrow questioningly.
"Sorry. I just never expected something so ridiculous coming out of your mouth." She choked on her laughter, trying—yet failing—to keep it inside.
"Mmm…but it sure is delicious," the waitress interjected, winking at Gold. "Your food'll be right out." Another wink. Flick of the blonde hair. Shimmy of the hips.
"These Southern girls really seem to like you," Emma commented, getting her laughter under control. She sipped down her coffee and felt it burn through her nostrils as she thought again of Gold's serious, accented voice saying "Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity."
"Jealous?" Emma's laughter died down and she rolled her eyes. Yeah, right.
"Jealousy implies that you actually care enough to feel insecure," she retorted. "Which I do not. I do not care and I am not insecure." Gold gave her a long, knowing look.
"As I said…jealous?" Not soon after Gold's order landed on their table. And it was as good as the waitress had said it would be.
Louisiana
In what seemed like no time at all, the two of them and her yellow Bug had reached as far as Louisiana. The only reason they were stopping was to rest and Gold still refused to tell her where they were going. Gold allowing her to drive would be like a blind grandma crossing the street.
"I swear if you tell me we're going to Las Vegas," she warned him, though a light smile played on her lips. The heat was stifling and Emma stripped off her leather jacket. "You'll have me dancing like one of those glitzy showgirls with the Big Bird feathers."
Mr. Gold glanced around the colorful streets of Louisiana, the melodic sound of instruments floating in the air.
"Why not? I think you did a fabulous job dancing on top of that bar in Georgia," he quipped. Only this time, he was serious. Emma was never quite herself when drunk.
The two approached a small shack that claimed to be an inn. Dozens of people hung around outside, and flowers hung from baskets over the door. At least it was much more attractive than the motel in Pennsylvania.
"In any case, our destination is decidedly not Las Vegas," Gold informed her, stepping through the entrance into the cooler atmosphere beyond. His lips lingered close to her ear, occasionally brushing along her blonde hair.
Emma neared the wooden desk and rapped her knuckles on it, demanding the attention of two girls with braided, flower-decorated hair.
"We would like a room," she declared without hesitation, fingers drumming impatiently on the desk. It reminded her of when she asked Granny for a room in Storybrooke. Stunned silence. Do I have something in my teeth?
The two women huddled together, whispering animatedly, brows furrowing. Emma stared at them, foot tapping. Gold gently laid his long slender fingers over her hand.
"Don't worry, darling. I'll make sure the wait will be worth it," he murmured in her ear and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. Her body betrayed her, a curl of temptation dipping in her stomach. It was getting harder and harder to not think of "going Gold," so to speak.
The women stopped whispering and studied their two customers. Emma noticed they paid particular attention to Gold. Yes, I know he tends to come off as creepy. You get used to it.
"Uno?" One? The ladies were speaking Spanish. Emma had taken a brief Spanish class in high school while switching between foster homes, but most of it had flown out the window after graduation. You didn't need to speak Spanish to know when someone jumping bail was thinking "Oh, shit."
"Yes, one. Uno," Emma responded. The faces of the two women grew dark.
"Bruja…es un demonio…malo…" The foreign whispering continued, but Emma could not keep up with the translation in her head. "Pobre chica." Now the two women were looking at Emma with sympathetic, pitiful eyes.
Mr. Gold abruptly strode forward and deposited a thick wad of cash on the desk, lips drawn into a serious line. The whispers silenced, their eyes growing wide. Like Granny, these women were in need of money. Emma easily noted the desperation in their eyes.
One woman whispered the word "demonio" again. Shaking their heads, eyes suddenly drowning in sheer terror, they vanished behind a velvet curtain—the back room, Emma assumed. That…was…odd.
"What was that about?" Emma gazed up at Mr. Gold expectantly. There was a grim understanding in his eyes as he focused on emptying his pockets of more cash. She supposed money did not matter to someone like him—Gold did have a rather large estate, after all.
"These…lovely ladies…are under the impression that I am a dark demon who has put you under my spell and that I am intending to have my way with you," Gold explained, a smirk crawling across his lips. Emma glanced back at the curtain in surprise. All that? In thirty seconds? A dark demon? Demonio…
"Hmmm…smart women," Emma remarked, earning a sidelong look from Gold. Quip, not serious, she thought about retorting. Oh, God…I am spending far too much time around him. My husband.
"Please, Emma. I have not made a single attempt to disrespect your honor." Emma gave a dry laugh at that.
"Really? Because I vaguely remember you rolling on top of me and kissing me in a dirty motel room." A scenario which I may or may not regret. Gold straightened, his brown eyes burning into her green ones.
"Yes, and as I recall, that situation was your doing," he reminded her.
Emma knew he was never going to let her live that down. She imagined they'd be sitting in rocking chairs on a porch, hair going gray and he'd still clamor about it. Oh, darling…remember that time in Pennsylvania when you straddled me in my sleep? We had some fun back in the day!
Emma shoved the image away and peered over the desk. Were those ladies ever coming back? Probably cowering in the corner together, praying that Gold doesn't set the place on fire.
"A magician, huh?" Emma gave him a once-over. Gold shrugged, gripping his cane in his right hand.
"You'd be surprised what tricks I have up my sleeve."
Before she could respond, the curtain shifted and the girls reappeared with an older woman. She was tall with frizzy brown hair, heavy-lidded eyes slathered with make-up, and an elaborate pastel dress. To Emma, she looked like what a gypsy would be.
Emma smiled her warmest smile and motioned to Gold. Their eyes followed, marked by unmistakable fear.
"Umm…I think there's been a misunderstanding. This…is my husband," she explained slowly. The two young women offered her blank looks. Spanish, Emma. They don't understand you. Oh, how the hell do you say "husband" in Spanish again? "Uh…Este es…mi esposa."
The young girls blanched and then giggled, their frames shaking with bubbling laughter. Emma frowned—what did she say? "Mi esposa?" More giggling and the gypsy woman was burying her head in her hand.
Gold edged forward and dipped his head close to Emma's ear.
"Emma, you just called me your wife. I wasn't aware you were the one wearing the pants in this relationship," he told her, lips drawn into an amused grin. Emma blushed and her mouth dropped open. No wonder they were giggling.
"Oh, God…alright. Este es mi…Oh, for God's sake, he's my husband!" Frustrated, Emma ran a hand through her blonde hair. The gypsy woman stepped closer, dark eyes alight with something like amazement.
"This man…he is your husband?" Emma nearly jolted—this woman spoke English? And you were watching me make a fool of myself?
"Yes, he is. See the ring?" Emma thrust her hand across the desk, the diamond ring on her finger glittering beneath the light. The woman gently grasped Emma's hand to examine the ring and her face grew pallid. That hand instantly crushed hers in a death-like grip.
"You…you have magic about you," the woman uttered. Emma groaned. What, did the kid take a world-wide trip showing off his book? Here we go…"But this…is not black magic. It is white." White? Like Snow White?
"I do not have magic," Emma insisted, wrenching back her hand. The gypsy woman stared at her with a piercing seriousness, as if she could glimpse into Emma's soul.
"That you know of…yet. It is untapped inside you. Great magic…comes great sacrifice." The woman turned away and Emma shot Gold a look of bewilderment. His face was dark and unreadable. Don't tell me he's buying into all this.
The two ladies gasped as the gypsy woman handed Emma a silver key, being careful not to touch Emma's skin again. Emma nodded her thanks as the woman scooped up the money on the desk.
"We're only staying for a few hours. To rest," Emma clarified, even as Gold snickered at the word "rest." The woman shook her head, long nails wrapping the money into a small fold.
"No. You will not be able to leave until morning now. There be big celebration in the streets tonight," the woman stated as she ushered the other girls behind the curtain. Emma clenched the key in her hand and followed Gold up a narrow staircase.
"Okay, then. Celebration it is," Emma muttered over Gold's shoulder. He paused on a step to gaze down at her with a mischievous smile.
"I'd recommend the gold dress."
I think you guys will like the next chapter because I am writing a lot of good stuff for these two. (=
Now—time for shout-outs because my wonderful readers deserve them!
To Lyn Harkeran: Thank you for the awesome review! McDonald's and Devil Went Down to Georgia—how much better can you get? Always glad to see a new fan!
To FallenHope19: Good to hear you're enjoying the story. Don't worry—I have most of the next chapter written up so you won't have to wait that long! (=
To DaesGatling: Always nice to read your reviews. No fear—it's nearly time Emma went Gold, don't you think? And after Disneyland, that would be awkward. Oh, the things Gold can do with his smile. (=
To Musicalfan2012: LOL, yeah…Gold is jealous! And the whole falling thing was meant to reference Skin Deep (he has a way of doing that, doesn't he?). Glad you're liking it so much!
To Twyla Mercedes: Somehow, Gold not sleeping much doesn't surprise me…who knows what he could be doing late at night in that pink house of his? Well, as you can see, Emma is capable of remembering some things after drinking. Oh, and thank you for the suggestions!
To ParanormalMoonlight: Haha, I decided it was time you met my drunk Emma. Oh, and I'm sure all that frustration will come to a head soon. Be prepared!
To BlackShadow14: Ooh, those could be good names for him—you know they're true! And I have no intention of stopping this story because I love to entertain my readers!
To Gemma4ever: Thank you! I won't stop writing because there are so many enjoying this story. We need something to tide us over during the wait between episodes, right? (-;
To MoreThanMeetsTheEye96: It's not bad to be an addict…sometimes. And I absolutely adore the profuse complimenting! It makes me smile so much! As for your funny thought, you just inspired me again! Thank you for the suggestions and the awesome reviews!
To AbridgedNerd: Yep, there goes Mrs. Gold. (-; And out comes all those feelings she tries so desperately to hide. Oh, Emma. Thank you for the review!
To thedoctorsgirl42: yay, I've converted someone else to the Abridged series! Thanks for the review—good to see you're enjoying the story!
To Yessiree: Thank you so much! You know I'll keep going as long as this story has love! (=
To DragonRose4: Haha, Gold eating that Big Mac would be epic. And Emma would laugh when his suit gets ruined. (-; Yeah, I figured these guys would be cut off from McDonalds and everything, so Emma should introduce Gold to that concept. As for the guessing game…you'll have to wait and see!
To AnonAg: Thank you! Well, I have this one relative that always tells the truth when he's drunk and I thought it would work for Emma as well. Now you never know what she could end up saying to Gold (but at least it will be the truth). I know most of you wouldn't complain about long chapters. (-;
To RandomWriter101: Aww, thank you! Always good to know that I can make my readers laugh! (= The wait won't be long, I promise!
To anche: Hehe, nice image, huh? Well, at least it's better than imagining Rumpel rising out of the water in a white dress in the 13th ep (I have DaesGatling to blame for that). Glad you like it!
To olverabonk: I'm glad you guys don't mind the long chapters—I'm sure the next one will be just as long. And filled with good stuff. But I'm not spoiling anything! Hmm…getting Gold into some leather pants would be tricky. I wonder if Emma likes guys better in leather pants? Thank you!
Thank you everyone! I already have half the next chapter typed up, so the wait will not be too long. I promise! Until next time, guys!