Chapter Ten: Next Year

The next thing Emma was aware of was the distinct smell of rum, saltwater, and spice, and the taste of that in her mouth. She began to hear voices around her. "Is it working?' one murmured. "Why would it work, she didn't drown!" "I just want out of this cave." Suddenly she realized that something had been against her lips as air filled in the space where warmness had been, and then suddenly the warmness was back. What . . . . Emma thought, the only thing she could manage. She assumed the curse had been broken, and now as she tested her leg, she found it painless, and guessed that her bite had been cured as well. But what the hell is going on right now? Suddenly her mind connected the dots, and Emma opened her eyes abruptly to see cerulean ones looking down at her as she lay on the cave floor, head pounding. Mary Margaret and David rushed forward to hug her, and chattered on about how glad they were she was alright. Emma thanked them, but then turned a gaze hard as ice onto Hook. "Did he . . . kiss me?" she asked. He shrugged sheepishly and then rushed to explain.

"They wanted to try mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and since I was a sailor, they figured I'd be best at it." Emma nodded in understanding, a sudden wave of emotion hitting her. She pulled everyone around her, even Regina, in for a hug, and then started towards the cave entrance. She let everyone go out first, but then grabbed Hook's shoulder, pulled him back, and kissed him on the lips. She didn't know exactly why; maybe it was because she felt overjoyed they had survived and that she was no longer doomed to undeadness, that she was thankful to Hook for all the help he'd given her, that she wanted to even the playing field because he'd sort of kissed her, but she didn't really care as she broke away and started after her friends and family, thinking in her head: What. A. Halloween.

….

"Where's my coffee?" Emma groaned as she let her head fall onto the counter in the kitchen of the loft. Mary Margaret slid her the mug across the counter, and she lazily held out a hand to catch it.

Hook watched her drink suspiciously, and then shook his head from where he sat beside her. "If this is what coffee does to you, I'm not trying it."

Emma pointed a finger at him threateningly. "Just because in the last 8 hours we went through a traumatic life-or-death experience and I kissed you does not mean I like you."

He smiled at her flirtatiously. "Oh, I thought that's exactly what it meant." Mary Margaret leaned over the counter with her own mug.

"You did what?"

"Nothing," Hook and Emma said in unison, glancing away, and Mary Margaret changed the subject.

"I hope Henry's still asleep. Don't think he'd be able to come in here, see you, me, David, Hook, Neal, Gold, and Regina looking like we just got back from the war and not die of being left out."

"Hey guys!" Henry said casually as he walked out of his room, already dressed for school.

"Hey kid," Emma said. "What are you doing? You are not going to school today."

"But it's Friday."

Emma shrugged. "Skip it. I'll write you a note." Henry put down his backpack and surveyed the room. Emma, Hook, and Mary Margaret were at the counter, Regina was brooding over her singed hair from the forest fire on the sofa, Gold was analyzing everyone else and texting Belle, and David and Neal were fawning over the machine gun cradled in David's arms.

"Wow," Henry breathed. "Nice costumes."

"Thanks, kid."

"What're you going to wear next year?"

At that everyone just laughed.

Wow! Writing this was super fun, and I want to give my utmost thanks to everyone who favorite, followed, and reviewed! I hope you all had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! If you want, you can check out my other fanfiction, and again, thanks for reading!