The Challenge

Chapter Twenty-Six

She's so utterly exhausted, her body screaming in agony that she is too dazed to comprehend what is happening. The cast is screaming and she feels her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach. Killian is suddenly in her face, telling her how proud he is and how well she did but her mind can't follow his words or the fact that he's untying her hands.

She knows a bucket fell, she knows she gave up. She failed him, she fucking failed him.

The next thing she knows, Killian is cradling her in his arms and carrying her away from the tiny box she spent five hours standing on. She rests her forehead against his shoulder, provoking warm tears to fill her eyes.

"You did it! You fucking did that, Swan," he exclaims, pressing a grateful kiss to her temple.

"What?" She sobs, her body trembling from the aftershocks her muscles were tormented through.

"We won! We are still in the game," he vows, squeezing her nice and close to held the involuntary shivering.

"I-we...what?"

"We won! Four and zero, love! Our record this season is 4-0!"

"Wait, wait, I..." she stammers, tumbling out of his arms. Her legs tremble violently but she pushes herself forward, dashing across the arena and colliding brutally into Ruby. "That was...I'm so...you were amazing," she cries into the woman's neck.

Ruby wraps her up or at least she tries to but her arms are weak and she ends up laughing awkwardly. "My arms are shot."

"I know."

"Congratulations, Swan. I can't wait to see you killing it in the final. You're a rare gem in this game, don't you forget that," Ruby sternly tells her like Emma needs to hear her and remember this moment.

"I-we don't know that I'm going to the final," she chuckles, sniffling against her friend's shoulder.

"I have a feeling. I've played this game enough times."

Ruby presses a firm kiss to her cheek and then is swept up by Killian. Emma pivots, finding Graham right behind her with a small pout around his mouth.

"I'm...you guys did amazing," she says, lunging forward into his open arms.

"You killed it."

"We both did. Ruby was fucking crazy," she laughs, attempting to hug him closer but her arms just aren't cooperating.

"She was the perfect partner for me. I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

"Yeah, I get that," Emma says as she watches Killian swing Ruby around and around.

Production starts signaling for them to stand beside TJ again and he proceeds with his usual spiel; telling Ruby and Graham how great they did and how he will see them soon, to congratulating Emma and Killian on another stellar performance and reminding them of their record this season.

Regina is the only female competitor to have ever won four eliminations in a season and now Emma is tied with the Queen. And she has never felt prouder than in this very moment.

Killian sweeps Emma off her feet and carries her back to the bridge where everyone takes a turn hugging them and congratulating them.

"Congrats, Swan," Regina stiffly says, offering a side hug to keep up with the façade but Emma doesn't care.

She grins from ear to ear and hugs this woman like she owes her this win and maybe she does because she knows Regina's support kept her hanging on for those few extra seconds.

"Well, I guess we only have five teams left..." TJ trails off, rubbing his hands together to help thicken the plot. Everyone leans forward on the railing, waiting on pins and needles for him to just say it.