Emma stood at the bar patiently waiting for another round of drinks. Ruby and Lacey were on the other side of the room taking on Tom Clark and Dr. Whale in a game of pool. Emma was still trying to make heads or tails of Lacey. When Ruby had called about having a ladies' night out at the Rabbit Hole, she suggested inviting her. She had no idea how long Belle would be in this cursed state so it was probably best to get to know the new version of Gold's girlfriend, especially if there was a chance of her spending time with Henry.
"Here you go, Sheriff," the bartender said as he placed three dirty martinis on the counter.
"Thanks," Emma chimed turning around and taking hold of the glasses. "Just put them on my tab." She walked across the room and set down the drinks on a table next to the billiards table.
"Finally," Lacey exclaimed leaning her cue stick against the wall. She waltzed over towards Emma and grabbed her drink. Emma watched, eyebrows raised, as Lacey downed almost half in one gulp. "Nice choice," Lacey nodded at Emma. She swallowed the remainder of the martini and marched over to the juke box. A minute later, Van Halen was blaring throughout the bar.
"So..." Ruby started as she wandered over to Emma and picked up her drink. "What do you think of Lacey?" Ruby sipped her martini as she and Emma watched Lacey pick a guy at random and drag him out onto the dance floor.
"Well, she's certainly not Belle," Emma responded.
"You can say that again." Emma and Ruby stood in silence while they witnessed Lacey grind on the dance floor with the small mob of men that had gathered around her. "So what's up with you tonight?" Ruby asked Emma.
Emma swallowed her drink and looked at Ruby. "What do you mean?" Ruby gave Emma a skeptical look. She sighed and took another swig of her martini. "It's just been a rough day, that's all," Emma confessed.
"Anything I can do to help?" Emma shook her head and continued to watch Lacey. Ruby took a breath. "Does this -" she hesitated. "Does this have anything to do with Hook?"
"What?" Emma asked surprisingly. "No, of course not. Why would it?"
"Well he is living with you now. That can't exactly be a pleasant situation."
"It's actually going ok. I mean it's not all puppies and rainbows, but it's gotten better. Henry's been enjoying it at least."
Ruby laughed. "Yeah I'm sure he has. Living under the same roof as a pirate must be heaven for the little adventurer." She took a sip of her drink. "Has David warmed up to him at all?"
"I'm pretty sure hell will freeze over before that happens," Emma sighed, slightly out of frustration. She looked down at her drink, lifted the glass to her lips and tilted her head back, emptying the remaining liquid from it. After forcefully setting down her glass on the table, Emma placed her hands over her face and let out a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her hair.
Ruby looked at her concernedly and placed her hand on Emma's forearm. "Are you sure you're ok?" Ruby asked.
Emma put on the best fake smile she could muster. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Ok. You know you can talk to me about anything."
"I know. Thank you, Ruby." Emma patted Ruby's comforting hand as Lacey came waltzing back up to them.
"What's with the moping around?" Lacey questioned. "Come on, get out there and dance with me!" She grabbed Ruby's hand and started pulling her around the table. Ruby, in turn, grabbed Emma's hand and dragged her out with them.
Lacey immediately fell into groove with the music, swaying her hips seductively and giving the men, whose eyes were all glued to her every move, a flirtatious wink. She took hold of Ruby's hand once more, swinging it with the beat in hopes of getting her to let loose. Ruby gave in, shuffling her feet in place with the song, letting her inhibitions go as the music played on. Emma saw Ruby catch the eye of Dr. Whale, who was still standing by the pool table watching her as he drank his beer.
"Come on, Emma," Lacey shouted over the music. "Move those hips!" Lacey moved next to Emma, bumping their hips together in an effort to get Emma to join in.
"I think I need another shot or two before you get me to move like that," Emma snorted as she watched Lacey do a particularly racy move. She turned and started making her way back to the bar.
"Get me a shot too, will you?" Lacey called after Emma. She waved her hand in acknowledgement as she walked away from the dance floor. Even though she wasn't big into dancing as it was, Emma was certainly not in much of a mood for it tonight.
"Three whiskey shots please," Emma ordered when she reached the bartender assuming Ruby would want one as well.
"Coming right up," the bartender said.
As he whipped up three shot glasses from underneath the bar and began filling them, Emma glanced over as the front door opened off to the side. To her surprise, in walked Neal and Hook. "Ugh, really?" she scoffed to herself. Seeing her ex-boyfriend and the pirate was not something she was interested on a girls' night out. Normally, she wouldn't have really cared, but not tonight. She didn't need Hook toying with her emotions on today of all days. Emma took hold of the liquid courage beside her and downed it as Neal and Hook strutted over in her direction.
"Hey Emma," Neal said, placing his jacket on the bar stool next to her. Emma gave a curt nod, turned, and threw back another shot. "Rough day?" Neal asked in response to her actions.
"What are you doing here?" Emma asked blatantly ignoring Neal's question. She glanced at Hook who was surveying this very unfamiliar territory he'd just been thrust into.
"Just thought we'd grab a couple beers. Granny's isn't opened for much longer and I didn't want to keep her waiting on us." Neal sat down, threw a twenty on the counter and gave the bartender his order. "It's not a problem is it?"
Emma smirked. "No. It's fine." She polished off the last of the shots and motioned to the bartender for one more round. "Just keep a distance, if you wouldn't mind. It's girls' night."
"You got it, Sheriff," Neal said saluting her.
"Thanks." Emma cupped the newly filled shot glasses in her hand and walked past Hook back out to the dance floor where Ruby and Lacey were still busting a move. She handed out a shot glass to each and they raised their hands up in toast and poured back the whiskey into their mouths.
"What are they doing here?" Ruby inquired, nodding in the direction of Hook and Neal.
Emma shrugged. She set her glass on the nearest table and began dancing, the alcohol clearly starting to take effect. Lacey smiled at the new development occurring in front of her and moved to dance in sync with Emma. The two women swayed their bodies next to each other, occasionally intertwining, as the music played on. Ruby, who had taken a couple paces back to join Dr. Whale at the nearest table, was watching, half amused, half surprised, at the sheriff's dance skills.
Across the room, Hook had taken a seat next to Neal at the bar. Both men sat, backs turned to the bartender, drinking their beers as they watched the ladies enjoy their night out. Despite the obvious tension between them, Hook tried to make conversation. "With the exception of the new machinery, this doesn't seem much different than the pubs back in our land."
"I wouldn't know, Hook," Neal snapped. "This is my world. Not yours."
Hook flicked his eyes over at Neal who was staring straight ahead. He sighed and looked back towards the dance floor and took a long, deep gulp from his mug. Hook watched Emma closely for a long time, studying the curves of her body and the way her long, blonde curls fell across her back. He hadn't seen someone so beautiful in a long time, not since his beloved Milah died in his arms all those years ago. It wasn't until a few months ago when Emma had entered his life that he realized how dark of one he'd been living. Perhaps it was because he hadn't known someone so like him before, but whatever it was, she certainly made an impression on him. He needed some time with her, just her, like they had back on the beanstalk. He needed to break down those walls around her.
Emma felt Hook's eyes on her from across the room and glanced over. Even from so far away, she could see the brightness of his eyes. He gave her a slight nod and she watched as he raised his glass to his lips and drained the last bit of beer from it. Emma turned back to Lacey, motioning over to Ruby before making her way over to the table, stumbling slightly as she did from the remaining bit of drunkenness still inside her. She took a sip of the ice water Ruby had brought over along with a basket of french fries to help them sober up.
"We should probably head out soon," Ruby suggested looking down at her watch. "It's getting late."
"What time is it?" Emma asked shoving a handful of fries in her mouth.
"Almost two."
Emma nodded and continued to alternate between drinking water and eating fries. "I should probably go close out my tab," Emma said after several minutes had passed. "I'll be right back." She grabbed her purse off the table and meandered over to the bar.
"I'd like to close out," Emma said taking her credit card out of her purse. She handed it over to the bartender who walked away to the register. "You two heading out soon?" she asked Neal.
"Yeah, I'm ready to take off," Neal said placing his empty stein on the bar. "Tamara is probably wondering where I am." Neal pulled out the last of his cash and tossed it in the direction of the bartender as he placed a pen and Emma's receipt on the counter.
Emma leaned down, scribbled a halfway decent signature and shoved her credit card back in her purse. "I can take him with me," she said nodding her head in Hook's direction.
"You sure?" Neal asked.
"Yeah, I've got him," Emma reassured. "Thanks for helping me out tonight."
"No problem. I guess I'll see you later." Neal grabbed his coat and threw it on.
"See ya." Emma turned and walked over to Hook who had been inspecting the juke box for the last several minutes. "You ready to go home, Captain?" Hook turned around at the sound of her voice and looked over at the bar to see Neal had gone.
"Whenever you are, love," he responded with a slight smile on his face. "Did Baelfire leave?"
Emma gave a small chuckle; she wasn't used to people calling Neal "Baelfire". "Yeah, he did. So it's just you and me."
"Well it's my lucky day," Hook said leaning in a little closer to Emma, giving her a wink.
Emma stood, lost in time for a moment at Hook's response. She snapped back to reality. "Let me just go grab the rest of my stuff and we can be off. Wait here," Emma instructed the pirate. She walked back over to Ruby and Lacey who were munching on the last bit of french fries.
"You out of here?" Ruby asked as Emma picked up her coat.
"Yeah. This place is going to close soon anyways." Emma leaned in and gave Ruby a hug. "Thanks for taking me out tonight. I needed it."
Ruby smiled. "Anytime. You're sure you're ok?" Emma nodded and glided around the table to Lacey.
"Are you going home with him?" Lacey asked motioning over at Hook.
"Yeah," Emma confirmed.
"Well aren't you a lucky girl." Lacey gave a devious smile.
"It's not like that," Emma insisted, reading between the lines.
"Sure it's not," Lacey said sarcastically. Emma rolled her eyes and gave Lacey a slightly awkward hug. "It's been fun, Sheriff!"
Emma gave a little wave to Dr. Whale and crossed back over to Hook. "Ready?" she asked putting on her coat.
Hook nodded. "So are we going back to the loft?"
"Where else would we go?" Emma looked at him confused.
"Well, you know," Hook started, "it's been a while since I've been to my ship. It'd be nice if she could stretch her legs for a bit." He gave Emma soft, pleading smile.
"Now? It's almost two o'clock in the morning, Hook." She looked into his desperate eyes and sighed. "Fine," she agreed. "I doubt I'm going get much sleep anyways."
"Why is that?" Hook inquired.
"Oh, it's nothing," Emma replied quickly brushing away the comment, but Hook could see in her eyes that she was hiding something and whatever it was, she was clearly upset by it.
Not wanting to push her for an admittance, Hook smiled and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders. "Come on, darling. Let's go set sail on the seas." Emma smiled to herself as the pirate lead her to the exit of the Rabbit Hole and out towards the docks. This was certainly turning into an interesting night.