Knock. Knock.
Knock. Knock.
I rolled over in bed, looking at the door through groggy eyes. From behind me, the tavern's other bed creaked with the noise of movement. Footsteps slowly made their way across the cold, wooden floor, and I shut my eyes knowing someone else would get it.
Knock. Knock.
I slightly opened my eyes to see Emma rip open the door.
"I'm coming, geez! It is three in the morning, I don't move that fast! -Hook?-" Emma hissed.
Emma looked over her shoulder at Mary Margaret and I to check we were still sleeping and I clamped my eyes shut.
"Emma,- I- We-" Hook struggled. I opened my eyes again, carefully.
Emma's hand fell off the door handle and she stood starring at Hook, waiting, wondering.
"I, I just can't stop thinking about you, love." Hook finally achieved.
"Well, you should." Emma's voice was soft and quiet; no more than a whisper, and I struggled to hear.
"I know. And I've tried, for the both of us. But I can't. I've spent many nights awake on my ship, pondering the stars, wondering what the mysterious emptiness inside me was hungry for. And ever since I've met you, I don't feel so lonely anymore, and that empty, unfulfilled hunger has died. Love, you're what I have been waiting for," Hook poured out, "And I can't stop thinking about our time in the woods, at the camp."
Emma's shoulders tensed at the recollection of their camp scene, and I smiled to myself, holding in my laughter. I remember too, pirate, I remember too, I thought.
Emma gazed at the pirate, who was standing there, scared at his shot in the dark. Emma stepped closer to him and gathered him in her arms, tucking her head under his neck. She laid on his chest and was silent for along time before she whispered,
"I can't either, pirate."
With that, Hook leaned down to her and gently kissed her forehead. Satisfied that she didn't back away, he leaned down farther and kissed her nose. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.
Wow, this is defiantly the most awkward thing I've witnessed.
Tired of waiting for him, Emma intertwined her hands in his jet black hair, and pulled him down to her. They kissed with easy flowing, movements, easy at first then deeper.
Emma pulled away and moved her hands down around his neck. She shook her head once and smiled at the ground, embarrassed. Hook chuckled and leaned his head against hers.
"Goodnight, Swan." With one last longing look, he turned away from her and quietly padded away to his room.
Shutting the door, Emma stood frozen in time, burning the moment into her brain. Pulling herself together, she made her way back to her bed. When she pasted mine, I just couldn't resist,
"You are disgusting," I mumbled under my breath; smiling, "Maybe next time you should get your own room together."
Emma nearly had a heart attack and stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly, she turned to face me. Her eyes were large with disbelief and embarrassment and I felt my smile grow. I threw my extra pillow at her and watched as it hit her, unaware, in her midsection.
"Mhpf!"
Surprised, she picked the pillow off the ground and threw it back at me, smiling, "You're the one who choose to watch, you silly goon!"
"There isn't much room to run," I gestured around.
"Roll over!" Emma suggested, turning red, even under the cover of the night.
"Oh, I wasn't dare going to interrupt that," I muttered, growing tired again. I closed my eyes and heard Emma make her way back to her bed next to Mary Margaret. Climbing in, she must have woke her mom up,
"Who was that?" Mary Margaret mumbled.
"Nobody, Mom, don't worry about it," Emma stated slowly and easily. "It's okay."
"What are we going to do? We've reached a town but now what?" David questioned, looking around at everyone.
"I have no idea." Offered Emma, sighing.
"I wonder if a townsperson would know or recognize Henry?" Mary Margaret wondered out loud.
"No, they wouldn't or I would've heard about it." Regina said coolly, still upset about the previous day.
"Regina, don't you know a certain someone who might hold the answer?" Rumple taunted.
Regina's head snapped in his direction, her icy glare burning bright, "And who would that be, Gold?" she challenged.
"Perhaps a long time friend, before she tricked you." Gold dared.
Regina's body went ridged. "Her? She would know nothing."
"Ahh, ahh, ahh dearie, I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"Regina is there something you need to tell us?" Emma asked, curious.
"No."
Emma looked at David and then back to Regina, "Regina, if there's something that you know to help get Henry back, I suggest you say it now."
"Or what?" Regina spat.
"Or…-" Emma stammered, "I'll do whatever it takes to pry it out of you."
"Ms. Swan, you don't concern me." Turning around, Regina's blue coat snapped out behind her. Flinging the door open, Regina stepped into a meadow.
Huh?
I observed my surroundings with wonder and disbelief. How were we in a meadow? Birds were chirping and the bugs were singing. The sun shown bright in the sky. Gone was the tavern's beds and walls, the wood flooring and the windows, now we all stood in wonder; starring.
"Regina, stop this!" Emma demanded.
Regina turned around, glaring, but white in the face, "It's not me you fool!"
An old hag materialized behind Regina. "Good hello, my dear, dear Regina. Why must the sun be so bright?"
She was old, with white hair, and half my height. They elderly lady had a crow perched atop her shoulder, and wrinkles that covered her face and her hands.
Regina turned, "Hello, Boo."
The lady danced around and applauded like a little kid, "Oh! You do remember my name, darling, how sweet!"
Boo peaked around Regina and looked at our band of confused characters, "Oh and look at that!" she squealed, "You brought friends along!"
She skipped over to me, her brittle bones not seeming to mind the young energy, "And who's this lovely darling?" She caressed the side of my face with her rough, knotty hands. I yanked my face away and eyed Emma. Was this lady mad?!
"No, no, dear, I'm not mad at all. But I'm neither tall, nor short, big, or skinny, happy, nor sad. But on the contrary I might be crazy!" The lady listed the things off on her fingers, in a high pitched voice.
Wait, did she really just answer my thought?
Yes. Her voiced bounced off the insides of my brain, like ice. I shivered and looked at the hag.
"Ahh, Regina you have someone very special here, yes, yes you do."
The lady walked back over to Regina, "But enough of that, you talk much too much. You have a question don't you, darling?
"Yes-"
"Wait, wait, wait! You know how I work Regina, you know all too well. I require something in return for helping you."
Regina snarled, angered, "I know exactly what you require, witch, but unlike before, I have nothing left now. You took the only thing I've ever had."
"I didn't take him. You failed him." Boo countered. They were inside their own conversation, something that happened long ago.
Regina hissed at her, angered and hurt.
"I only require the same thing I did last time, Regina. One simple task. Once you complete that task, walk into the woods the way you came and you will find me." The hag was completely serious now, no signs of crazed laughter and inhumane telepathy.
"Fine. Deal." Regina agreed.
"By the second sunrise, your spell will be permanent unless you remember these words; Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride."
After she said the last word, the wind blew so strongly that I squeezed my eyes shut and raised my hands above my face. Suddenly the wind stopped and so I dropped my arms and looked about. We were back. The tavern. The beds. The room. The floor. Townspeople chattered outside the window, selling things in the square like yesterday. I looked around to see everyone else looking as shocked as I was. Except Regina. She was screaming at the door, something about Daniel and Cora,
"How dare you give me the same task, you old hag! Well guess what? I can't mend that bond cause my mother is dead! Dead you hear me! And so is Daniel because of you!"
Again, an icy voice licked across my mind, Not that one, Regina. There's a new one you've broken.
Regina shut up. She must've heard the voice too. Her voice was dripping with venomous poison,
"Damn you, hag."
She shouted at the ceiling, and turned to the door. Swinging it open, she marched out and didn't look back.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:***I'm back with this all new chapter! Sorry it's been so long, I've had practice everyday since school started and games and have had no time! But I am done with soccer now so expect more to chps to come! What did you think about this chapter? Was the crazy witch any good? Yes? No? Drop a review vvvvv :) Thanks everyone for waiting so long!***