Memories and images flooded into Emma's mind, weaving in with the words the Queen spoke.
Emma was back in the restaurant, sitting across from her was a shaggy blonde man, Reuben, she remembered, his face was unshaven, with a big square jaw and piercing black eyes. His muscles rippled under his black t-shirt, edges of tattoos poking out from under his sleeves, his arms had remained crossed over his chest most of the meal. His rough voice had barely said anything past a grunt of acknowledgement. Emma knew things were going south and fast, it was only a matter of time until he'd take off.
A crash sounded outside the restaurant, snatching Emma's attention away from him for a moment, he'd bolted from the table, running outside, and she'd taken chase. It was a big mistake, she'd been ambushed outside, barely making out bits of conversation, "This one," "Be gentle," "Why does he want her?" "It'll be a good payday boys, don't fuck it up," she'd blacked out.
This time instead of waking up in an unfamiliar environment, she'd felt herself being picked up, watching the scene play out from another point of view, floating like a ghost, across the street, she watched a group of thugs pick up her body and carry it into a dark alley. She trailed after them, appearing in the same dark room as them, watched them shove a hose connected to a funnel down her throat. One of the thugs grabbed a container of some liquid, he poured it in, and she felt herself dying.
Gold, Death, whatever his name was, he had hired them paid them off to kill her, to create the situation she found herself in now. But why? And how? Emma remembered him saying he couldn't interact with the living, only his reapers could, so were they working for him as well? She still couldn't figure out what was so special about her that he would want her so bad.
The scene changed, back to what she did remember, of meeting death, waking up in the land of the dead, that purgatory like place that she'd been in a few times prior, being greeted by Graham, led to meet Death, him offering her the deal, and being returned to life.
More details made themselves available as the Queen continued on with the story, one of a benevolent god, and his creations, of a war that broke out, but she told of a time before that. "That God, you may remember Neal telling you of him, was benevolent and loved his people so long as they loved him, he was selfish, they were his pawns. It wasn't the first time he'd created a world, as he'd done so many times before, abandoning them when it became too late. He is one of many as we all are. He became Death when his people abandoned him, though they may have abandoned him because of his actions, as there are always two sides to any story. I have done my best to stop him, to end his reign of suffering. He was banished from our land long ago and fled to create another."
"But why was he banished?"
"That is another story for another time."
Emma could tell there was more, but wouldn't push. So much had been revealed to her already and it was bordering on being too much for her to handle. She felt dirty, used, betrayed. Death had killed her to use her, and it was to try and save himself, he was being tracked down by these 'people', she wasn't sure what term to use.
There were so many questions swirling around in her mind, she wasn't sure what to ask, or how to ask, or phrase it, there was so much going on, and she still wasn't sure she could trust it all, she'd have to ask someone, once she could determine who she could turn to.
A sharp buzzing went off, somewhere, signaling it was time for her to wake up, she didn't feel rested at all as she slowly blinked her eyes open, looking around, seeing sunlight flooding the room. Her bed had been destroyed at some point in the night, pillows tossed on the floor, and she felt like she hadn't gotten a bit of sleep.
She slapped her phone's screen, willing to hit the right button to stop the annoying noise it was releasing, destroying the peace that was filling the room. "Just five more minutes," she mumbled to no one in particular with a sigh, burying her head back into her pillow.
Her dream filling her mind, swirling like a memory, she was unsure of what had happened when her phone beeped angrily at her. She grabbed it with an annoyed grunt and a curse towards who ever would bother to text her so early in the morning.
A text from Regina was proudly displayed, We need to talk.
About what?
Meet me downstairs in 10, I'll pick you up.
It seemed she didn't have a choice, and Emma tossed back the covers of the bed, dragging herself with all her might out. She searched around the room for a pair of sweats to match her worn out old t-shirt she had. Technically it wasn't old, but it was made to look old and worn and had quickly become her favorite, an old band logo plastered across the front. She pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail and slipped on her shoes skipping the socks and praying that this wouldn't take too long. She hated feet sweat, but she couldn't be bothered with actually hunting down a pair of socks at this point, she just didn't have the energy.
She left the room with a yawn, still rubbing sleep from her eyes and padded her way down the hallway to the elevator. Sure enough, Regina was there waiting for her.
"I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?" An exasperated edge to her voice, she firmly believed it was still way too early for this, and she had no idea what Regina could want to talk about.
Regina stood from her seat, making her way over to Emma, "No, not long at all," she pulled Emma into an embrace and then pulled her over to the door. Emma put up a bit of a protest at having to go anywhere that wasn't back to bed, but was unable to maintain it for very long after Regina shot her a look that said, very clearly, "Don't fuck with me, I'm not in the mood."
Emma followed her out the door and over to her car. It wasn't until they were alone that Regina said anything further to her. "I think I have some explaining to do." It was simple, allowing no room for argument, and Emma looked at her expectantly, but she did not continue.
It wasn't until she had parked the car that she turned to Emma once again and continued on in her explanation. A look of concentration had overtaken her face as she spoke slowly, firmly, precisely, allowing no room for interruptions, "I hadn't known who you were at first. In New York. I was there to visit my mother. She'd told me she was having problems with someone, they had been acting strangely. He'd disappeared while I was there, I had a suspicion as to what had happened. It was Will, mother had told me later that Gold hired someone to hunt him. To hunt all of us, she supposed."
She paused and took a breath, and Emma waited, watching her expectantly until she chose to speak again. "She didn't tell me it was you. I honestly did not know, and when I figured it out, I couldn't believe it."
Emma kept watching her, unsure of what to say, she waited for more to come. "I was there on a social call originally, to report in on any changes that had happened. I'd brought Henry with me as he's my apprentice. But that night, she'd told me something was going on with Will, he'd started acting strangely. We had to tail him, and he'd vanished. I'm sure you know what happened. Mother told me later she'd offered him as a sacrifice, hoping it would appease Gold and he'd back off. But he didn't."
"I was sent to track down Killian next, to try and save him, but he just wouldn't listen to reason, I thought I'd have a chance to convince him not to go, but he was just too cocky like usual, said he could handle himself, but he obviously couldn't. Must not have been expecting a woman. After you left there, there was no reason to stay in Houston and I came home. It was a fluke that he would send you here, but he did."
"And it would be my guess, based on your finding Neal, that he sent you after him. Given he hasn't disappeared yet, I would also believe that he sent you to gather information. But what kind of information I would not know. Neal has been working hard on keeping you out of it, keeping himself here. But he's told you quite a bit already, you see, we were around when Gold created the world, when he brought about this new wave of destruction."
She paused again, watching the look of confusion spread across Emma's face. She sighed, collected herself again, and started to speak once more. "So, there's lots of religions, you know, and all of them have similar creation stories right? But they do differ, so they aren't all correct, but there are parts that are. Each story has something right, though you'll have to stick with me on this. I can tell you the full story, I was there for most of it.
Many years ago, we all lived together, peacefully, in a world unlike any other, it exists still, on another plane, in another time completely. You have always known of our existence however, some call us aliens, some angels, some gods, we go by many names.
One of them was Nathaniel Gold, he was born into a lower class family, never one to aspire to much, he had grown up with two loving parents, the eldest son, and though they never had much, they had enough. He was being trained to be a Creator, a position of honor, he displayed exceptional talent. We taught him world building skills, everything from a planet to the life upon it, but it was a mistake.
He was different, unlike the rest, he thirsted for power, for control. He was greedy, creating many worlds, only to destroy them when they proved did not live up to his standards. It was against everything he had been taught, he wanted there to be bloodshed, and he was banished, leaving our world behind, but we could not take his powers from him.
He has been referred to in many circles as Lucifer or Satan, he was the one who created this world, everything you see, but it wasn't enough, he wanted more, he tried to convince others to follow him, leaving to this new world, and some did. When his ideas started to take hold, it began to transform our society, and others of us were sent, our mission to stop him, to put an end to the pain and suffering he caused.
And we have spent millennia doing so, watched the rise and fall of many civilizations, we have witnessed many things, learned of the stories created about us, tried to prevent him from wreaking havoc, and our Queen sent us here. We have lived among you, as you do, for many years.
He has picked many servants in the past, manipulating them as he can, having a fondness for those who can be easily controlled, those willing to serve him in completing his tasks. You were picked as one such servant, not by choice. He caused your death, and manipulated you, promising life, promising a return to what you once had.
He has a penchant for finding others to do his dirty work, though there was once a time where he was not bothered by the sight of blood. But we have tried to regain control of him, to change his ways, and never been met with much success.
Our numbers have dwindled, and now there are but a few of us willing to fight for such a cause. The others believe we should just give up, let him win, have what he wants, but those are ones who have not spent any time amongst you here, they have no idea what he truly is capable of."