And I'm back with another Au for SwanQueen. As with all of my stories they are completed before I start posting so you will have a completed story in no time! And y'know reviews/comments and may persuade me to post more than one chapter a day! I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it! A big thank you to Jokerssmile who is my beta, my ass kicker and the reason why I started writing again. You're the best friend ever! Now on to the next chapter!
Chapter 2
Freaking out, Emma tried to get out of bed and knocked over a lamp on the bedside table. The noise alerted the other occupants of the house, and it wasn't long before a short dark-haired woman arrived in a tither.
"Mrs. Cassidy you're up! What happened? Did you knock over the lamp?" The petite woman asked as she quickly went over to Emma's bedside and began to pick up the broken pieces of the lamp. "Don't get up yet Mrs. Cassidy there's a lot of broken glass here. I'll clean it up in a jiffy. I'll be right back. Stay put."
Emma feeling confused, sat up and immediately regretted it as her head hurt like hell and her vision was blurry at best she lays back down with a groan. It was only a minute later the bumbling woman was back with a broom and dustpan. "Mrs. Cassidy you look so pale, I'll bring you your tea once I have this cleaned up."
Emma felt so out of sorts she couldn't reply knowing she should correct the woman, but she just couldn't make her mouth form words and she slowly fell back to sleep.
Rattling of cups and spoons woke Emma but she knew better than to sit up quickly again and slowly opened her eyes trying to bring them into focus.
"There you are Mrs. Cassidy; Mr. Cassidy thought you might like some tea as well as something to eat you must be starved after two days."
Emma stared at the woman before answering trying to piece together what she just said. "I'm sorry what? I've been out for two days? What day is it?"
"It's Wednesday Ma'am."
"Wednes… what? I don't understand. Where the hell am I?"
"You are home Mrs. Cassidy where else would you be?"
"Just…just hold on." Emma said as she slowly tried to sit up. Staring at the woman, Emma frowned, "Who are you?"
"My name is Mary Margaret and I'm your maid. I'm new I've only just started yesterday Mrs. Cassidy but your husband and mother-in law explained your situation and I'm experienced with your type of malady.
"My what? What are you talking about? And my name is Emma Swan not Mrs. Cassidy so you can stop that right now and I am not sick! I applied for a job as a live-in personal assistant."
"It's alright Mrs. Cassidy, how about you have a little something to eat? I'm sure you must be hungry."
"What? No look, I am NOT Mrs. Cassidy! Stop calling me that! I am not married!"
"Shall I call you by your first name then?"
"Yes, that would be great."
"Okay then, how about you eat a small bite of this sandwich, Judith and then you can take your medication."
"I'm not on any medication, I really have no idea who you are or who this Judith Cassidy is. I am Emma Swan so please stop calling me Mrs. Cassidy or Judith dammit!"
"Of course, Ma'am, would you like milk in your tea?" Mary Margaret asked as she put a few sandwich triangles on a plate and handed it to Emma.
Frustrated with this woman, Emma yelled "I don't want tea! I don't even like tea!"
"Oh, I'm sorry; I was told you love tea, cranberry tea in the morning, cinnamon tea in the afternoon and chamomile at night."
Rubbing her temple, Emma took a deep breath, looked at the nervous woman, "Coffee, do you have any coffee?" Emma asked eyeing the sandwiches, she does feel a little hungry, but her stomach is rolling. She's not sure if it's because of hunger or the situation that she now finds herself in.
"I can go make some I'll be right back; here eat something you look peckish, Judith." Mary Margret said then picked up the tray and rushed out the door.
Emma could hear the rattle of the teapot and then a click of the lock. Emma slowly got up and went to the door and found it locked. Twisting the handle over and over she got frustrated and pounded on the door with her fist. "FUCK!"
Feeling dizzy, she got back to her bed and sat down. Looking at the plate on the bedside stand she looked over the sandwiches left there and took one. Emma took a bite of the sandwich and made a face, she hated asparagus. She tried to recall the last thing she remembered but everything seemed so muddled in her mind. She remembered calling about the job and meeting a woman and then a happy Leroy with money in his hands, packing and eating leftovers from a restaurant. Emma shook her head trying to clear it as she reached for a different kind of sandwich. Surprisingly, the plate was empty, Emma had eaten them all. She wondered how long had she been lost in her head that she'd eaten something she didn't even like.
It was then that Mary Margaret unlocked the door and came in with another tray this time with coffee, a familiar and welcome scent to Emma. She felt tired suddenly and her throat was dry.
"Here you go, Mrs. Cassidy. I'm sorry about earlier but I was only told about your tea."
"That's all-right Mary Margaret." Eugenia said as she walked through the door. "Our Judith's tastes must have changed a little since her recent upset."
"My recent upset? What does that mean?" Emma asked looking at both women.
"Oh well you don't like it when we talk about it dear, but you had a nervous breakdown. You were doing so well but then you had a relapse and that is why we are so worried and overprotective of you." Eugenia explained as she watched Emma slowly close her eyes, fading back to sleep.
Mary Margaret poured coffee in a cup for Emma, "What do you like in your coffee, Judith?"
"I…um" Emma sleepily tried to tell her maid that she liked cream and sugar, but she couldn't keep her eyes open.
Eugenia then walks over to Emma and places her hand on her forehead. "You seem flushed, and you look tired my dear, you should get some rest." Eugenia says softly.
Emma looks at the old woman and remembering her a little but feels dizzy and begins to fall forward.
"OH! Mrs. Cassidy!" Mary Margaret cries out and catches Emma from falling to the floor. She lays Emma back onto the bed and covers her up with the strewn blankets.
"You are doing well taking care of her Mary Margaret but as you can see, she has awhile yet before she's back to herself. It's a shame she and my son were so happy and outgoing. This relapse has taken a toll on them both. But I have faith she'll be back to rights with the doctor and your care."
"Thank you; I'll do my best Ma'am. I'm sure she'll be right as rain in no time." The maid replied taking the tray back as she and Eugenia walk out of the room locking Emma in.
Time began to blur for Emma not knowing how long she'd been in this house, in this room. She felt woozy all the time and constantly being called Judith was tiring to her. All she could do was sleep, eat and then back to sleep.
Her maid was tidying the room and dusting; she was sickly sweet and was getting on Emma's last nerve.
"Can I go for a walk Mary Margaret?" Emma asked hoping to find out where she was and how to get out of this house.
"Oh, I don't know Judith; I will ask your husb… um Mr. Cassidy and let you know, okay?" Mary Margaret replied catching herself before saying husband, the last time she referred to Mr. Cassidy as Judith's husband a plate was thrown at her along with some colourful remarks.
"Yeah sure, thanks. It's just being cooped up here for so long it's not helping me get any better." Emma replied hoping that if she played along, she could get out of there. She may not remember everything, but she knew for damn sure she wasn't married.
"You are so right, Judith! Fresh air would do you a world of good I'm sure of it. I'll go ask Mr. Cassidy right now! You eat your breakfast and I'll be back."
Emma did eat her breakfast she always seemed to be hungry and thirsty, the food was good, but the coffee sucked. She would love a macchiato from Starbucks right now.
Once she finished her eggs and bacon she got up and looked out the window. All she could see was water crashing against rocks below her. The house seemed to be on a cliff or maybe they were on an island. Emma was dying to know where she was and how to get back home.
But where was home? Thinking back, she couldn't remember where she lived. Every time she tried to remember she would picture a different home or town, but Boston seemed to feel right to her and remembering how she loved her macchiato she believed strongly that Boston was her home.
Emma snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door being unlocked and any hope to get out of the house was gone as soon as she saw him.
"Judith, Darling, your maid asked if you could go outside. While I do believe fresh air would help you, I think it is a little too soon for that just yet."
"Why are you doing this? Why are you keeping me here against my will?" Emma raising her voice at the man who just stood there with a smile.
"Oh, come now Judith, this is your home, I'm not keeping you here against your will. Whatever makes you think otherwise?"
"No, that's not right." Emma said to him, her memory cloudy, "Your mother hired me for something. She hired me to..."
"Shh, it's all right Darling, you just rest." He said to her then smiled, "And I promise, when the doctor says that it's all right for you to go for a walk, I'll take you myself. It's going to be all right. We'll get through this together Judith don't you worry about a thing." He then stepped back to allow Mary Margaret back into the room and then left.
"I'm sorry Judith, I'm sure it will be just a few more days and then you can go outside. The time will just tick right on by." Her maid said apologetically as she arranged Judith's afternoon snack with her medication.
"No, no this is not right… this is… I'm not… Judith," Emma replied with anger in her voice. "I need to get out of here. You have to believe me Mary Margaret, I am NOT his wife."
"I'm...I'm. Please Mrs. Cassidy please just sit down and take your medication I know it will make you feel better."
"NO! No I know I'm not…I'm not sick, I wasn't in a hospital or had a nervous breakdown and I'm sure as hell not taking any pills! Just get out! GET OUT NOW!" Emma yelled as she swiped her arms across the table knocking the pills and food onto the floor.
Eugenia raised her eyebrow as her son walked into the room, headed straight to the bar and poured himself a drink.
"Dare I ask what that crash was about?"
"It seems Ms. Swan is angry that I wouldn't let her go for a walk with the maid."
"Ah yes, she has a lot of fight in her yet, I thought the medication Dr. Whale gave her would have made her more subdued by now. It's taking longer than I would like Neal."
Neal downed his drink and poured another. "Yes Mother, I know. She has a strong will, but she is breaking I can tell. It won't be much longer we just need to be patient."
"Patience isn't my strong suit, that you know Neal. This would have all been dealt with had you been able to reign in your anger with the real Judith."
"Don't start mother, she deserved what she got, she was going to turn us in, and we would be penniless if not in jail!"
"Hush Neal, we wouldn't want Mary Margaret to hear you. Judith never trusted you or me for that matter. I knew we shouldn't have pursued her like you did. It was all wrong from the start, but it is what it is now, and Ms. Swan is perfect to finish this off, I just want it done already."
"As do I mother, as do I."
