Back at the start
Jade Star asked for a oneshot of *6x13 spoilers!* Snow being called to the Rabbit Hole to sober up Emma, who has gone on a hard drinking binge in the aftermath of Killian leaving and her visions. They walk home. Emma is drunk and bitter.
The walk over to the grubby bar had been brisk. It was still early spring, and the weather was still frosty in the hours after daylight. It was Snow's turn that night to be the one awake. She had sat for just over an hour unable to concentrate. She had put it down to the stress of everything that was going on, but a surprise phone call soon made it clear exactly why Snow felt stressed. Emma had spent the evening at the Rabbit Hole. She had gotten herself into quite a state, and was beginning to cause trouble for herself. One of the bartenders was worried she was going to get herself hurt (most of the guys who drank there wouldn't be concerned that it was a woman they were hitting if she was pissing them off), so Snow had to drop Neal with Red and go get her daughter.
Despite the bartender's description, Snow was still shocked at just how hammered Emma was. She was surprised Emma was still standing, or that the insults she was hurling at the other drinkers were in any way coherent. Before Emma could get herself into a brawl, Snow grabbed her daughter, thanked the bartender who called her, and pulled Emma out into the night.
"What are you doing here?" Emma slurred at her mother. "I wasn't done with those bozos!"
"Yes, you were." Snow told her calmly. "I'm here because I got a call saying that you'd gotten yourself into a right state and needed someone to bring you home. So now, we're going to walk home and you're going to cool off." What Snow really meant was the walk home might sober Emma up a little, but Emma was too out of it to realise that.
"I don't need to cool off. I'm perfectly calm." Emma snapped. Snow ignored her tone, she knew it was nothing personal.
"I don't think you are, honey." Snow said, linking her arms with Emma's. She had to keep Emma moving, she didn't have a jacket on and Snow didn't want her getting sick. That was the last thing they needed on top of everything else. "Killian leaving, it's bound to have upset you…"
"Don't." Emma interrupted her mom. She didn't want to talk about him. She didn't want to hear his name ever again. Snow nodded, she would take this as slowly at Emma needed.
"Ok, then your visions aren't exactly helping either…"
"Them either!" Emma shouted. Snow sighed.
"You can't keep everything in forever, Emma." Snow warned her. "It's clearly already causing problems. If you just talk to me-"
"I don't want to talk." Emma spat. "Talking has never helped me. I was better off alone." Snow took in a sharp intake of air. So they were back to this point? Had losing Killian regressed her this far? Snow could kill the pirate for leaving her daughter so hurt like this, but hurting Killian wouldn't help Emma just now. All Snow could do was what she had done when the curse first broke. She had to wait. Wait until Emma was ready to open up to her about her feelings. Only then could progress begin to be made again.
