Chapter 21
Hello readers and happy almost weekend! I have another crazy week next week so I don't know when I'll have time to write so here is another update! As always, please let me know what you think of the chapter as well as what you want to see. Sorry that this chapter is shorter than usual but my last chapter was must longer so they balance out ;)
Also, if you haven't ready Emma and Ella by Charming88 you need to go read her story!
Enjoy!
"Alright kid, did you grab the eggs?" Emma asked reading the instructions off the side of the pancake mix box
"Yep, and here is the milk" she said as she set the two ingredients
"Good catch. Have you made these before?"
"Oh yea! I learned to make my own food a long time ago" Zoe said nonshilantly. She wasn't ready to delv into her past. The truth was most foster parents that she had had never bothered to make a meal so she had to learn how to make the basics in order to keep from starving.
"Well then maybe you can teach me how to cook because I'm really not good at it" Emma said smiling at Zoe
"Deal! I actually like cooking" Zoe said cracking the eggs into the bowl with the powdered mix
"Lass you have no idea how happy that makes me" Killian said coming in and placing a kiss on the top of her head
"I hate to break it to you Zoe but unfortunately, my daughter cannot cook to safe her life" David added with a wink
"HEY! I can do a few things!" Emma faught back. She didn't mind admitting her flaws to Zoe but she didn't like getting called out, especially by her dad.
"It's okay Mom, Dad and I will make sure that the stove is turned off before we all go to bed" Zoe added with a sly smile.
"That's it, none of you are getting pancakes" Emma said pointing the spatula at them which sent the whole group into giggles. They needed a light moment after the conversation about Zoe sneaking out. Soon Snow joined them and helped Emma and Zoe finish up making some bacon and eggs to go with the pancakes while the men set the table.
"Well loves, you've done a great job" Killian said as he shoved anther bite of pancake in his mouth
"Agreed, and nothing is burnt" David added with a wink at his daughter
"You are on thin ice there pop's" Emma said giving him a death glare.
"It's okay mom, I believe in you!" Zoe said
"Oh really? You are a little flip flopper" Emma said with a side glance at her daughter
"It's called survival" Snow said wrapping an arm around her granddaughter
"Yea! What she said" Zoe said with a giggle. She really loved that they were starting to feel like a family. She had been nervous about them coming but now, she was sad at the thought of them leaving.
"So after we clan this up we're gonna' need to get down to business" David said. He had always taken the 'rip the band-aid off' approach to conversations and he knew that this situation could be no different, especially because everyone else in the room was so apprehensive about even approaching the subject.
"You mean the trail" Zoe said in a small voice that made everyone stop. The mood had immediately changed in that moment which was exactly what Killian and Emma were afraid of.
"Hey, kid, it's gonna be okay" Emma said wrapping a protective arm around her.
"Zoe, we will try and move at your pace" Mary added
"We know this won't be easy but we promise, we're all going to be here for you lass"
"Today is only going to be practice, the more you talk about it, the easier it will get" David tried to say in an upbeat tone. He knew that he would hear about his abrupt approach later, if not from his wife, from his daughter.
"Well that's for the mood killer dad." Emma said dragging out his name, "How about we all get some hot chocolate?"
"I'll start boiling the water. Zoe do you wanna' help me by getting some mugs out and putting the powder in them?" Mary said
"Sure" Zoe said getting up and following her grandmother into the kitchen. She knew that Mary was trying to get her out of the room so her parents and David could talk (Or reprimand him would probably be more accurate)
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"Dad!"
"What? Emma I'm sorry but as much as I would rather just relax this whole weekend, we have to make sure she is ready!"
"But you didn't have to go in guns blazing!"
"How would you have rather I have done it?" David came back getting a bit frustrated with Emma
"Mate I think what Emma means to say is that, we wish you would have given us some forewarning you were about to bring it up so that way we could maybe ease more into it" Killian stepped in. He knew that David and Emma both had a fierce passion to protect those they loved and that it sometimes caused a communication gap when they were both on high alert.
David took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Alright, I'm sorry I wasn't very tactful about it. I just don't want to leave her unprepared" David said giving Emma and Killian and appoligetic look
"I know Dad" Emma said leaning cross the table and putting her hand on top of his "I just don't want to damage everything that we have been working for. She trusts us and we can't break that trust"
"I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen" David said seriously
"Alright everyone! Here are the hot cocoa's!" Mary said coming over with Zoe. She wanted them to know that Zoe was back within ear shot
"Thanks guys" Emma said taking a cup from her mom
"Thank you Zoe" David said taking one from her "And I'm sorry"
"It's okay" Zoe said with a shrug. She had never had an adult apologize to her and actually mean it
"No, it's not" He paused for a moment knowing he had to be delicate "I shouldn't have been so blunt about bringing up such a difficult topic. I really should have been more thoughtful"
"Like I said, it's okay, thanks though"
"You're welcome"
"Good job with the cocoa Zoe!" Emma said. She hated the awkward tension that had formed and needed to bring in a light hearted moment before Zoe completely shut down.
"Thanks, Mary helped" Zoe said without looking up from her mug. Emma just pulled Zoe close to her. She felt helpless as to how to help her daughter. "Can I go to my room?" Zoe asked
"Of course honey" Emma said releasing her daughter. Zoe immediately got up and left the table.
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The adults started to clean up the kitchen while they gave Zoe some space. They knew she needed a chance to process what was about to happen before they jumped into it. Killian's fears that he had shared with David were starting to rise to the surface. He really didn't want to loose the ground that they had gained with Zoe.
They all moved about the small kitchen in relative silence. Once everything was cleaned and put away they all made their way to the living room.
"Okay…so this is how this will work. We need Zoe to be able to tell her story. The more details she can remember the better"
"So we need her to relive it" Emma said, not to anyone in particular, more of just thinking out loud
"In a way, yes" David knew what he was asking was hard, but it was the only way to put the perp away. "Emma, you knew this was part of the deal"
"Aye mate, we did, but that was before we knew Zoe" Killian said placing a gentle hand on Emma back
"Killian, I know that this is hard, I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to put your daughter in this situation. Truth be told, if it was you Emma, I would do everything that I could to keep you from having to do this, but the good thing for Zoe is she never has to look at this man in the face" Mary said. She knew that they had to empathize with Emma if they were going to get anywhere. "She will be right here in the safety of your home and where no one will be able to hurt her."
"Thanks mom" Emma said through tears that were falling down her face. This was all so emotional for her in a way that she didn't understand until that moment.
"Killian, Emma, why don't you both go talk to Zoe and prep her and then you can bring her out here and we can start" David prompted them. They both nodded and headed toward their daughters room.
