Ok first of all: thank you all for being patient with me as I went through some sticky situation with the stupid system. Also thank you again for your patience as I also went through the finals from hell. Now that is said and done: here is the new chapter! I think I am back baby!
Pandora's Box
There was a stony silence as Henry, Snow, and David ate their dinner. Emma had not come downstairs since her fight with Neal. He had caught a glimpse of her as she came out of the bathroom and then she bolted into their room without a single look or word. Henry sighed as he twirled the spaghetti around his fork, "You ok?" David asked him trying to break the uneasy silence.
"Yup," Henry stated flatly as he continued to pick at his food.
Snow rolled her eyes and looked toward the stairs. She wondered what Emma was doing in there. Normally in the past when something had set Emma off, the whole neighborhood would know about it…like the toaster abuse incident for example, "Maybe I should-"
"Leave it Snow." David said knowing what his wife wanted to do, "She will come out when she is ready." Snow gave her husband a look and he put his hands up, "I am just saying that we should just-"
"I am going up there." Snow said cutting him off and went upstairs.
David and Henry exchanged looks and tried to continue to eat when Snow called, "DAVID!"
David bolted from the table with Henry close at his heels as they went upstairs to the room. They saw the room slightly trashed and the window wide open with Snow standing near it looking outside, "She is gone!" Snow said as panic started to fill her.
David went to the window and Henry went to the closet and saw the contents of the box scattered about. It was then he realized that the books and the guitar were missing, "She must have used the fire escape and ran for it." David stated.
"No really? Here I thought she could fly." Snow said sarcastically, but then winced as David shot her a look, "Where could she have gone?"
Henry shook his head. He did not read that far in the book to know what his mother did when she was upset. Of course he knew that when she was younger she would find an isolated area, but he did not know where that would be in Storybrooke. However too, she had started changing habits as she got older. Before he could make a suggestion the phone began to ring and David went downstairs followed by Snow and Henry, "Hello?" He asked
"David? It's Red." Red's voice came through, "I am down at the Rabbit Hole and well…Emma is here and she…well she has been here a while and she is not that great of shape."
"Oh thank god. We just realized she took off. You are down at the Rabbit Hole you said?" David asked as he placed a hand over his rapid beating heart.
"Yea, I will keep an eye on her for you until-" Just then there was yelling that could be heard and Red's hesitant voice came through, "Actually you better get down here now. The son of the Dark One just entered and it is not looking good."
David hung up and grabbed his keys, "She is down at the Rabbit Hole, let's go."
In the meantime Emma was glaring at the man in front of her, "What part of I do not want to hear it do you not understand?"
"Emma please, we have to talk. I am sorry-" Neal was begging her at this point but he was once again cut off.
"No! I do not want to hear it ok? I am so sick of hearing that word!" Emma yelled.
The two were completely unaware that they had an audience. Red came up behind her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Emma-"
But Emma shrugged the hand off as Neal responded, "Please at least let me-"
"I do not want to hear your explanation. You kissed me Neal. Big deal. I would not have said anything to her! But you made it worse by saying that it meant nothing. I mean was what we had nothing? Is that why you really left me?" She asked.
"You know that is not why I left. I left so you could-"
"Break the damn curse? Yea I heard this story half a million times. It really gets old after awhile." Emma scoffed as she took a swig of her brandy. Her eye caught her lyric book and the guitar case by her seat. Her plan was simple: sneak out of the house, go somewhere where she would not be bothered, have a few drinks, and write. Clearly that did not happen since Neal had somehow found her.
Neal sighed heavily and asked, "What will it take for us to just talk?"
Before Emma could answer she heard her name being called and turned her head to see Snow, David, and Henry coming into the club. As they were coming over she looked back at Neal, "Nothing because I do not want to talk."
Just when David or Neal or whoever was about to respond an announcer at the club called out, "Who is up for some karaoke?!"
Neal and Emma continued to look at one another as if lost in their own world. Emma could hear multiple people cheering, but that is when she felt her own mouth move, "I'll go first!"
There was a hushed silence, "Emma-" Snow started to say confused but then she was cutoff by the announcer, "The sheriff of Storybrooke and our saviour people! Give it up!"
Somewhere someone handed her the mike as cheers could be heard around them and Neal looked at her, "Emma-"
"No Neal," Then she took a deep breath as she heard the piano in her mind clear as day as she started to sing:
I don't wanna talk
About things we've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
I've played all my cards
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play
The winner takes it all
The loser's standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny
Neal's mouth hung open. He never knew Emma could sing, apparently neither did Snow and David who took a few steps back from the duo. Henry was also standing next to Snow as he listened to his mother sing. He knew from reading the journal that she was a very gifted musician and amongst other talents as well, while he did not know when she wrote this song, he knew it was about his father or must have been around the time they came back. As he continued to watch his mother, he felt as if his own heart was breaking as Emma continued to the next line.
I was in your arms
Thinking I belonged there
I figured it made sense
Building me a fence
Building me a home
Thinking I'd be strong there
But I was a fool
Playing by the rules
Emma did not know why she chose to sing this particular song. Of course Neal had been in town for about a week, but they were starting to develop some kind of friendship…perhaps she just needed to let him know how she felt, maybe deep down this would be her way of talking, but either way she needed him to understand. She allowed all of her emotions to shine and was vaguely aware of the silence in the club as everyone was listening intently as her quiet voice started to grow a bit louder.
The gods may throw the dice
Their minds as cold as ice
And someone way down here
Loses someone dear
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall
It's simple and it's plain
Why should I complain?
But tell me does she kiss
Like I used to kiss you?
Does it feel the same
When she calls your name?
Somewhere deep inside
You must know I miss you
But what can I say?
Rules must be obeyed
Snow was in awe at her daughter's singing, but she could feel her own tears well up as Emma continued. Isn't this how she felt when David was David and she was Mary-Margret? Having someone, but not having them? Emma was never one to explain or show her true emotions because of her damn walls, however hear she was singing in front of people no less and sharing them. Snow could only feel sympathy for her daughter as she continued.
The judges will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all
Emma sighed and paused for a moment allowing the piano in her head to become slightly quiet. She took a moment to really look at the man in front of her. Here she was, singing her deepest feelings for him, practically throwing her emotions in his face. He had slight tears in his eyes as she took a deep breath and sang quietly:
I don't wanna talk
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
You've come to shake my hand
Neal could feel the firm shake as Emma really did shake his hand. She had this all wrong. It was a complete misunderstanding about what he wanted to talk with her about after the kiss, but he was too stunned to interrupt her. His heart literally screamed in agony as she started to back away from him. He saw her take a slight bow as she then sang out even slightly louder:
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing me so tense
No self-confidence
But you see
The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all...
Emma's voice was stronger now as she looked at Neal. She then allowed herself to be guided up on stage as some of the people started to sing the next line with her:
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all
And the loser has to fall
Henry watched in awe at his mother who was totally oblivious as she belted the note out as people echoed the last line. In fact if he did not know any better he would say that he was living a musical. He stole a look at his father and he could see the agony. Right at that moment Emma once again jumped off the stage and walked back over to them and sang softly:
The winner takes it all…
There were mass amounts of cheers, but the only four people who were not cheering which was Snow, David, Henry, and Neal as they looked at Emma. Neal took a deep breath and said, "Em-" But Emma did not allow him to finish as she grabbed her book and the guitar and walked away out of the club.