I woke up the next morning, my head swimming and aching. I threw the covers off of me and walk downstairs, smelling French toast and eggs being cooked. I padded through the house, smiling to myself at the thought of Graham making me breakfast as a way to say that he was sorry, but when I entered my kitchen, it wasn't Graham standing at my stove. It was Emma Swan. My jaw drops slightly and I take in her petite frame. 'What is she doing in my pants?' I think to myself as I walk in silently. I rub my eyes, hoping that they were deceiving me. "Miss Swan, just what are you doing in my house?" I asked sternly. She jumped and turned to face me, a strange look on her face. I raised a brow. "And in my clothes no less?"
She looked down, taking in her appearance. She had yet to answer my question. I tapped my foot, which didn't have its desired effect since I was bare footed. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to ignore the raging pain in my head. She looked back up at me. "You...called me over here," she replied, and my eyes widened. Surely, I hadn't been foolish enough to contact her in my hour of need. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the stove. "The disbelief is clearly written on your face." She reached over, laying two pieces of French toast and some scrambled eggs on it. She turned towards the small island and set it in front of me.
"What's this?" I asked, ignoring her question. She rested her hands against the island, looking rather annoyed.
"It's breakfast," she said in a kind tone. "Something else I thought that I would do for you since you seemed to have such a rough night."
"What are you talking about?" I couldn't recall a single thing after I had cracked open that bottle of liquor that I had locked away in my office. 'But she made me breakfast? Why would she do that after everything that I have done to her?' She turned off the stove, bringing over another plate and the maple syrup over. She set down a glass of water and two white pills. I picked them up in my hands. "What is this?" She handed me a fork and stabbed into her eggs.
"For one, it's aspirin, it'll help with your hangover. For two, can you say anything else aside from what? Or anything questioning for that matter?" I took the pills, taking a small drink of water. I glanced over at the microwave, and my jaw dropped.
"It's after eleven! Why haven't you woken me up? Did Henry at least get sent to school?!" She nodded her head, not meeting my gaze.
"To answer your questions in order," she started. "Most people don't like being woken up when they have a hangover, and I didn't want to disturb you. Secondly, yes I sent Henry to school. He called one of his friends from my phone and their mom came to pick him up. Now since you seem to like questioning me, it's my turn. Do you remember calling me last night?" I looked down, shaking my head. "Thought not. You feeling sick at all? 'Cause I can call you in or something." I shook my head again. I noticed the bandages around my forearm. She spoke before I could ask. "After you let me in, you dropped your bottle of liquor and fell right on it. Karma's a bitch, maybe you should start being nice for a change. Don't worry I picked up the glass and scrub the floor."
"When did I call you?" She shrugged her shoulders.
"Sometime after midnight," she said, her mouth full of food. 'That's not how a lady should eat.' I fought the urge to correct her. The Queen side of me was half tempted to get a switch and teach her the same way my mother taught me. "You mentioned something about Graham being an asshole, which would explain why you called, but of all people to call why was it me?" I shrugged my shoulders.
"Like you said, Miss Swan, I was rather wasted. Perhaps the alcohol got to my brain." I took a drink of water. "Why are you in my clothes?"
"You said that you didn't want me to sleep in my jeans, so you offered me a pair of sweat pants, which I appreciate so thank you. Who's Daniel?" I froze at the mention of my deceased lover's name. It had been so long since I had last spoken of him, it was almost unbearable to believe that she knew anything about him.
"None of your business. Who told you about him?" I snapped back. She looked slightly hurt as she went back to eating her eggs. She tucked some hair behind her ears.
"You did. You were drunk and trying to go up the stairs. When I got to you, you were crying saying that you wished that you had ran off with him sooner, that you never should've listened to your mother, and that you wished that you had never married the King. Which made no sense whatsoever." 'I mentioned my mother? What did I drink last night, a truth serum?!' I stabbed my eggs, almost with enough force to break the plate into shards. She jumped. "Geez don't punish the plate. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to pry. I was just wondering why you called me, instead of a friend?"
I glared over at her, ready to rip her head straight from its shoulders. "Then elaborate for me, Miss Swan, when did my mother and...Daniel become apart of the reason for why I would call you? Because as far as I'm concerned, it's none of your business." She pushed the platter away and walked by me. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To get dressed," she replied. Within five minutes, she was back downstairs, dressed in her boots and that dreadful leather jacket. She took her plate, looking tortured.
"Miss Swan, what happened last night?"
"Nothing. I told you, you called me, I came over, you got hurt, and I stayed the night to make sure that you were feeling alright this morning. That isn't a crime to want to help someone last I checked." I looked down, feeling rather guilty. "And there's this thing. It's called gratitude, showing someone that you appreciate something that they did for you. Such as, taking care of you when you have a hangover, aiding you in your hour of need-"
"I don't need you, Miss Swan. I didn't before, and I certainly don't now." She smirked sarcastically at me and stepped away from the counter. She tossed her fork onto the plate, making a clattering noise. She went to walk by me, but she stopped right at my side.
"By the way, Henry saw the way you were last night. Pants-less, drunk, and pathetic, and instead of relishing in how that would destroy you, I told him that you had hit your head and that I was going to take you to the doctor tomorrow if you were experiencing some signs of a concussion. I lied to my son, for a bitch that claims to love him, but can't wait until he is fully asleep before inviting over a "friend," and getting wasted because he's being a little more resistant to taking his pants off for you. You tell me I'm a bad influence? Look in the mirror, your majesty, because you are the bad influence. Not me." She stormed off, and I had problems swallowing my French toast as I heard the door slam.
I rushed off to the bathroom, throwing up into the toilet, barely making it actually. I cried as I washed my mouth out. When I spat into the sink, I stared back at my reflection. She was right after all. I called her a bad influence to Henry before getting to know her, and yet I was the one drinking with him in the house and fighting with my lover. I was so sure that he had fallen asleep before Graham had came over, but...maybe I was wrong. I wiped my eyes and walked into the bathroom, getting ready for work.
*Emma's POV*
I gripped the steering wheel tight as I drove away from the mayor's house. She had seriously been a bitch to the one person in town, who wanted to help her. I shook my head as I drove, thinking long and hard. What was it about her that had me so drawn to her? So completely and totally captivated by her. I didn't even want to stay last night, but yet I did. I sat up straight and pulled into Granny's Diner. I walked in and was greeted by Ruby's smiling face.
