Chapter 11 — Seventh Day

Emma chose to… simply relax on her last day as a waking human being. One who could still control her limbs and her brains to have a natural sleep cycle. Because yesterday was so hectic, what with being emotionally fragile over a tombstone, being so pissed off at Hook, and then startled by Regina's revelation. Yeah, she just wants one peaceful day.

Ironic, isn't it. Tomorrow morning she will be asleep, forever. Well, before her organ gave up on her, or by some miracle, someone woke her up with True Love's Kiss. And the last day she just want to spent it… peacefully.

So today, she wrote.

She went to one place she knew will give her some peace. She went to the abandon cabin in the edge of the forest she found about a year ago while she was trying to find the ever missing Pongo. She brought all the things she needs there. Papers, envelopes, and pen. With some refreshment for herself. Bear claw, orange juice, and sandwiches for lunch.

She drove her bug to the edge of the forest where the cabin was built and walked briefly while bringing all the stuff inside. The cabin was small. There was a nice couch and a coffee table, a small designated fireplace for kitchen, and a very basic plumbing.

Once she has settled down, she wrote until her hand was numb. She wrote until her tears was blurring all the lines. She wrote until everything was off her chest.

And she hoped.

She hoped that every letters that she has written would provide enough explanation for the ones she left behind. She hoped that they have it in their hearts to forgive Zelena. And she hoped that they would respect her enough… for not wanting to be a vegetable for the rest of her life (if that is what will happen).

She washed her face slowly and then washed her hands to munch on her lunch. While munching, she remembered that there are a few of loose strings she hasn't got time to do yet. She pulled out her phone and started texting.

Emma: Rubes. What's the word on Zelena?

Ruby: They said it was some kind of 'house arrest' but knowing Storybrooke, she actually was in a state of 'town arrest'.

Emma: Ha, that's cute. She doesn't have her magic anymore. What would be the harm, right?

Ruby: Emma, some of us are still from the old land. Things worked differently there.

Emma: I know, I know. Relax, I'm just kidding. She's okay tough?

Ruby: Yeah, she hates being a normal mortal.

Emma: Serves her right for threatening my family.

Ruby: I know how protective you are, Princess.

Emma: Don't call me that. Only David get to call me that.

Ruby: Oh… daddy's princess now, aren't ya.

Emma: Shut up Rubes.

Ruby: Whatever Ems.

Emma laughed. Yeah, she will miss life, in general. She will miss how there are so many feelings one could experience from such a small gesture. She will miss how a simple lingering touch could mean something so much more. She will miss how a smile could brightened anyone's day. Yeah, she will miss all of these.

Emma: Thanks Rubes. Really appreciated you covering for me and my dad.

Ruby: No probs, really. :)

She sighed. One business taken care of. Next one.

Emma: Hey Tink. You learnt how to text yet?

Tink: Yes, Regina and Ruby have been teaching me.

Emma: Good. Need to talk to you. You free?

Tink: I'm always free. I have no job, remember?

Emma: Yeah, about time we changed that, kay?

Tink: Really?

Emma: Really. I'm one of the big boss around here, in case you haven't notice.

Tink: You're not. You just happened to be on the good side of the big boss.

Emma: Regina?

Tink: Yeah, who else.

Emma: Haha, doesn't matter. Meet me in Granny's in about half an hour?

Tink: Will do.

Emma: Thanks Tink.

Tink: No problem Emma. See you in a few.

Emma smiled. It's strange how she wanted to threaten the fairy the first time they met, but right about now, Tink is the one she chose to protect her secret, at least until it was time for her to spill it to another person in need of the information.

Definitely head bumped at some point. I'm not that cryptic. I swear.

She looked over the papers spreaded over the coffee table and reached out for the envelopes. She wrote a bunch of letters for five people. Henry, Regina, Mary Margaret, David, and of course Little James. Just in case she will be forgotten at some point of her parents' life. Although she doubt it, what with the I'll find you thing they have going on since the first time they laid eyes on each other.

She collected the letters based on the recipient and put them in their addressed envelopes. Oh, and she hoped they could read her handwriting. To be honest, her handwriting was… not that good. She didn't have the luxury of twirling her 's's and dotting her 'i's when she was too concerned about moving in and out from one foster home to another.

When she was sure the letters were secured in her coat pocket, she tossed away the rubbish and cleaned up a bit before walking to her bug. She cleared her minds through her emotional turmoil that has been going on for a while now and drove straight to Granny's.

Realising that she was still hungry, she ordered her usual to one of the waitress and waited for Tink to appear. True to her words, the blonde fairy appeared as cheery and smiley as ever.

"Hey Tink, over here," Emma waved to the fairy. Former fairy.

Tink grinned widely as she slid into the booth and sat opposite of Emma. "Hey, what's up?"

"You wanna order first?"

"Uh yeah, I'm starving."

After a waitress took Tink's order, Emma started. "Hey sorry it was so sudden. I kinda need to talk to you."

"Yeah, I figured."

"First, official business. Do you want to be one of my dad's Deputies? I know you've been helping Ruby around." Emma asked to the point.

"With salary and benefit and all that?"

"Well… the money will be more than enough I suppose, especially if you live alone. My dad needs the help. The benefit is… you get to really know our town's pet. They go missing a lot, and by a lot I meant a lot."

Tink laughed out loud. "Okay, I'll help you guys out. Ruby's one of the part timer Deputy as well, right?"

"Yeah, she's been helping me since my little brother was born." Emma smiled at the thought of Little James.

"Thanks for the offer Emma. Now I could find an apartment or I don't know, anything, and not seeing Blue everyday would be the best gift, ever!"

Emma shook her head while laughing at that comment. It was absurd to imagine the Blue Fairy who looked so much like a nun could do something so unthinkable. But hey, who is she to know who is good and who is evil in this town. It was a matter of how they perceive their happy ending and in which line they stand by their morality.

Anyway, after they finished laughing, Emma moved on to a much serious matter.

"Hey Tink, I kinda need your help on something more personal. Will you help me?"

"Course I will. Anything for you, so that the big boss won't be mad at me," Tink winked.

"Seriously Tink. We haven't even gone on a date yet. And I don't think I'll be able to take her on a date, for that matter," Emma explained grimly.

"What? Why?"

"That's what I want to talk to you about."

"What? Don't say you're dying or I'll kill you myself!" Tink flabbergasted.

"Uhm…"

"Oh my God, Emma! You didn't!"

"I'm not exactly dying. It's just that… I'm kinda cursed?"

"Now you're asking me if you're cursed?"

"Lower your voice," Emma hissed. Luckily they were in the diner for odd hour so not that many people were inside the building.

"How can you be so stupid?" Tink hissed back.

"I didn't know! It was Zelena's handiwork!"

"Did Regina know?"

"Yes…"

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"She knows… that I'm cursed. She doesn't know how to reverse the curse." Emma admitted sorrowfully.

"True Love's Kiss, right?"

"Yeah."

"Henry?"

"Nope."

"But…"

"Yeah, I know. Regina thought Henry would be able to wake me."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"I don't really know for sure, but if my understanding is correct," Emma tilted her head when she saw Tink blowing out her pupils like she was seeing a ghost. "What?!"

"Do you always talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like Regina."

"No. And I didn't."

"You so did. You haven't been on a date and she's already rubbing on on you." Tink teased as she smirked.

"Tink…"

"Okay, okay. Continue, please."

"Yeah, Zelena said something about a small object that needs to be lifted from my heart at the same time someone kissed me."

"Regina could do it when Henry kissed you."

"Yeah, I asked Zelena about that too, but she said something about how the spell she made specifically engineered to supersede that fact."

"That wicked witch!" Tink hissed.

"I know," Emma grimaced.

"Is there any loophole?"

"I tried asking her that. She, the inventor of the said curse, doesn't know. Who does that?!"

"Apparently all the desperate witch," Tink rubbed her face and pinched the bridge of her nose. "So what is it that you want me to do? Beat the solution of Zelena or something?"

Emma rolled her eyes dramatically. "Nah, I… kind of just need you to keep that information."

"Why?"

"Just in case. And because I don't think I would be able to wake up." Emma cringed.

"You fool!" Tink hissed. "Emma, this is mess up."

"Don't I know it," Emma mumbled under her breath.

"So when will you be gone?"

"In a few hours, give or take."

"What?! What the hell Emma? I'm calling Regina," Tink pulled out her phone from the pocket but Emma's grasp in her wrist stopped her.

Emma shook her head slowly, begging Tink not to do anything. Looking at the desperate soul in front of her, Tink put aside her ego and tried another way to solve the problem. She put back her phone in her pocket.

"Fine. I won't tell her. Did Regina tell you about the connection you two have?"

"Yeah."

"So why don't you tell her everything? That's the least you could do."

"I— I don't want her to try to save me Tink. She would do anything for the people she loves, you know that. I don't want her to let her life goes by as she tries everything to wake me up. It's better if she think there's no way out. I want her to… live. Not holding onto something intangible."

"Ever the White Knight, huh?" Tink's words were playful but her tone was serious.

"Yeah, turns out genetic never lies. One other thing."

Tink glared angrily at Emma. "What else?!"

"Could you help my parents, Henry, and Regina to let me go?"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll know when you cross that bridge."

"You're a coward Emma." Tink stated.

"Yes, I realise that much. Spare me the lecture, I know. Really, I know. Thanks Tink, but I gotta go. Bye Tink."

"Bye Emma. I promise nothing."

Emma gave Tink a sad smile and waved goodbye.

She spent the rest of her day helping her parents with Little James. Her mother decided to cook dinner and she and David decided to play with Little James. They turned on the radio and they danced around while laughing with the baby boy. When the doorbell rang just a few minutes before dinner time, Emma, David and Mary Margaret looked at each other. They didn't expect any company.

David who was still holding Little James opened the door and revealed a cheeky Henry and a very nervous Regina on the other side of the door. He smiled and let them in.

"Hi Gramps. Sorry to just drop by. I missed you guys," Henry said enthusiastically while hugging David, and then Mary Margaret, and lastly, Emma.

Emma smiled and hugged him back.

"Would you want to stay for dinner? There's more than enough for everyone," Mary Margaret said as she pulled Regina to the kitchen to help her.

So by some miracle, Emma was surrounded by her family on her last night being alive. It was everything she ever dreamt of. The warmth of a crowded dinner table, the laughs from bad jokes that were uttered by her father to humiliate her, the pride on Mary Margaret's face when they talked about their past and how they struggled to move past that, the smirk on Regina's face when the two idiots smiled lovingly at each other and said something cheesy, and the joy of laughters from her son. That was everything she has ever wanted.

Now, when she finally has all that, as cruel as destiny is, it wants Emma to let go.

She sent one last text before she went to bed that night.

Emma: Henry, I love you.

By the time Henry replied, Emma has succumbed into eternal sleep.