Second Chances #wattys2016

Chapter Five

Bass filled her ears as she focused on lighting the tequila shots on fire, once all six were lit there was a loud cheer from the crowd of men standing on the other side of the bar. A brown haired, brown eyed man gave her a grin, "Why don't you join in?". Emma shot a look to Killian, he smiled at her and began to walk over.
    She batted her eyes at him, "Can I please be relieved of my shift ten minutes early?".
    Killian looked at the shots. "Only if I can join."
    Emma tilted her head. "It's up to these gentlemen." Emma gestured to the group of men.
        "He's welcome to join if he can handle himself."
    "I'll take that as challenge." At that he armed himself with three shots. "Now Emma do you think you can?"
        "And I'll take that as a challenge."
    Emma couldn't contain her glee, grinning nearly ear to ear as everyone prepared themselves. She perked up at Killian standing next to her, for the past few weeks everything had been so smooth, he'd made her feel at home here in this bar. Although, every now and then fear would prickle at the back of her neck that what happened with Neal would happen again. She watched the dancing flame of the shots as she got lost in thought, her green eyes lit up like they, themselves were caught in flames. She felt a hand wrap around her own, looking down she recognized the familiar ring covered fingers that intertwined with hers. Looking up at Killian, his eyes were focused on the group of men yelling out rules and conditions, which she hadn't realized was happening up until now. It was like they were muted background noise to her thoughts. "Three shots, first one done... get's free drinks for the rest of the night." Killian said then looked down at Emma.
    The bass seem to lower now as background, Emma pulled her hand from his. "So, are we going to do this?"
    The men around her began grinning conspicuously to one another. She knew why. They offered her entrance into this competition as a means to get her drunk. Little did they know that she was not a force to be reckoned with. The tequila definitely would have some effects, but not make her incoherent to her actions and those around her. Although her mind drifted to Killian, why he also was invested in this game, more than likely it was just due to her invite.
    "On the count of three." Emma said loud enough so that she could be heard above the bass. Suddenly she felt Killian's arm around her waist, his hand on her hip. Everyone exchanged a final look before the competition. "Three." For some reason Emma was now at unease with this game, taking on so many along with Killian. "Two." It was to late now to back out, but since when, was she, Emma Swan scared of a drinking game. "One." At that everyone took the small glass cups in hand and began downing them, unhinging her jaw almost like a snake. In almost a blink of an eye all three shots were gone, it took only a few moments before she felt the weight of the alcohol on her mind. "I won." Emma said as the others finished, everyone was surprised, everyone that is except for Killian.
    "Looks like the little miss can hold her own." One of them commented, and Emma couldn't help but grin inwardly.
    The scene around her became almost dreamlike. Everything and everyone moving to fast, and her mind unable to keep track. She put her hand on her stomach, already she felt nauseated, which was unusual for after only three shots. Emma lost her balance, nearly crashing into Killian. "Are you okay?" He asked almost echo sounding to Emma, as he caught her.
        "Someone put something in my drink."
    At that he allowed her to rest her weight on him, using him as a balance to go upstairs. He had his arms on both her shoulders. Emma could barley concentrate, it almost felt like she hadn't slept in weeks and all she wanted was to sleep. "We need to figure out wh-"
~    ~    ~
    The next thing Emma remembered is sitting by her bathroom toilet disposing the contents of her stomach. She could feel a cool hand on her back, which felt as though it were caught in a flame and ignited. "I've downed six before... and this didn't happen." Emma mumbled.
    Killian stoked her back empathically, "I know. Just focus on getting better." His voice was soft as if he was cradling a wounded dove in his hands.

~    ~    ~
    When Emma awoke, she had hardly any memory of the night before the drinking contest. The sun was already halfway through the sky and fully blazing, her head pounded, making it feel almost like the walls around her were shaking. "Your up." She heard from her doorway. There stood Killian, dressed in red and black flannel pajama bottoms and shirtless. Her heart skittered at the sight in her chest. He carried a steaming coffee cup, the rich smell of chocolate let her know it was hot cocoa and she couldn't help but crave it desperately.
    Sitting up in the bed, she rubbed the side of her head soothingly, but it did nothing to help. "I don't understand-"
    At this he moved to sit at the side of her bed, his body steered to face her as he handed her the hot cocoa. He'd even managed to remember the cinnamon, which, anyone else in her life hadn't before. "I don't think the drug is fully out of your system, take it slow."
        "What happened exactly last night. I remember the three shots, then everything is hazy. I have memory of vomiting... and then I woke up."
    His expression became very serious, and almost deliberative. "I don't know what they put in your drink... But I forced you to vomit in case it was anything lethal."
    Despite him telling her that she felt that there was still more than what he was saying. That he was leaving something to this story out. "What aren't you telling me?" She narrowed her eyes.
    He shifted in almost discomfort under her watchful gaze. "I've told you everything you need to know."
    Emma now tilted her head, "I think I forgot to tell you something about myself." She didn't leave him time to respond, in earnest theres a lot she hadn't told him about herself but the way she presented this was with meaning. "I have this talent... If you were a kid I'd call it a superpower. But I have the ability to tell when people are lying, and you... are."
    With this he removed himself from the bed. "If I were to tell you there'd be no going back from it. You'd be putting yourself in danger." he paused and looked at the window after a few moments he redirected his gaze back to her. "I don't want that. I want you to be safe... I honestly thought it'd be better for you if you didn't know. As it seems now that was a bad decision on my part. And for that Swan, I apologize. I never intended... for you to get caught up in his web."
    Now Emma was concerned, blood rushing in her ears. "Whose web? What's going on?"
        "They call him the Dark One... Rumplestilskin. He's this older man who runs an underground gang here. He has his hands in everything. Including my pub."

Author's Note: PLOT TWIST. And I'm gonna leave it here for the next week. Hope you guys liked the chapter, votes and comments are like food to my motivation!!! Thanks!!!