When Your Walls Come Crashing Down

Chapter 10 - Waiting

A/N: Hey everyone! I am SO sorry for the unannounced hiatus! I got wrapped up in school, and then I sort of lost motivation for a bit. I promise, though, I will NOT, under any circumstances, be abandoning this story. We are, however, approaching the end of this story. It'll be a while before I post another chapter fic, but more oneshots will be coming your way. They won't all be OUAT. My next fic is gonna be a Julie and the Phantoms one, and probably a Stranger Things one after that, then maybe another Once Upon A Time one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters. The only thing I own is the plot to this story.

Also, this chapter is a bit more descriptive with the ab*se than my others (not by much), so take this as your heads up.

Without further ado...

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Emma twisted her wrist ever so slightly in its binds and a warm trail of blood trickled down her wrist. Sweat glistened down her forehead, and she wished she could wipe it away.

A week had gone by since she sent those letters out. A week had gone by... and nothing. She really hoped Hook got her message. He's not an idiot, she hoped. He should be able to figure it out. Why isn't he here yet?

"Hello there!" Pan said, sweeping into the cave. "How did you sleep last night, savior?"

Emma just rolled her eyes at him. She was sick and tired of this teenager coming in every day to taunt and terrorize her.

Pan smirked and laughed at her mockingly. "Fine, we don't have to be civil about it. We can do this instead," he stated, twitching his head to the side, Emma's ankle popping. She grit her teeth tight, trying desperately to think of anything other than the pain.

"Or this," he continued, raising his hands in the air, palms up, engulfing Emma's body in invisible flames. She writhed on the stake, but to no avail. Her entire being felt encased in flames.

"Or maybe even this," he sneered, stepping into Emma's personal space. His nose practically brushed up against hers, and Emma could feel his hot breath on her face, an unsettling feeling coursing through her veins.

Pan lifted his hand to strike, and Emma closed her eyes. She waited for the impact, slowly releasing shaky breaths as she panicked. How much more could he do to her? When will it be over? Would she be rescued or condemned to stay here until her body couldn't withstand the torture anymore?

Emma's mind pulled in different directions, reminding her of everything she'd ever experienced in her miserable life. Being found on the side of the road as an infant, every foster home she could remember, orphanages, running away, meeting Lily and their falling out, Neal and being sent to jail, finding out she was pregnant with Henry, giving birth to her son chained down on a hospital bed, being released from jail and trying to figure out where to go, becoming a bail bonds-person, Henry coming to her door to pick her up, going to Storybrooke, battling Regina for custody (and the right to stay in town), meeting her parents, falling through a portal, battling Cora and Hook, getting back, battling Cora again, running into Neal again, Greg and Tamara, and now Neverland.

Her life was a mess, of that there was not a doubt in her mind. For most of her life, she was always unwanted, unneeded, disregarded. Now she had people who actually wanted her in their lives. She wasn't sure what to do about it.

Emma quickly reminded herself of current time. Pan's hand inched closer to her, his palm dangerously close to making impact. Time seemed to slow and blur, becoming meaningless. She wasn't sure what more she could take. Resigning herself to the thought that this was the rest of the pitiful excuse of a life that she had, Emma closed her eyes and waited for the collision.

She waited. And waited. And waited.

It never came.

Slowly, Emma opened her eyes. She stared at the ground, where Pan's feet had been not even twenty seconds ago. Instead, Pan was laying on the ground, unconscious, a bruise starting to form on his face.

Emma's gaze shifted farther out on the ground, until it locked on a pair of black sneakers. She trailed her eyes up before coming into contact with the person whose shoes they were.

She stared, transfixed, unable to speak, as she made eye contact with the person across from her. He seemed to be frozen as well, staring back at her in awe and relief.

Finally, Emma managed to gain her voice back. She spoke only one word, but, unbeknownst to her, it completely shattered the person across from her.

"Dad."