Losing Light

Chapter 18

I apologize. This chapter is waaaaaaaaay shorter than usual, but I couldn't think of anything else to put in it.

Emma went to the flea market the next day and set up her booth. She watched the people around her set up booths that sold candles, jewelry and "rare" gems that they most likely found in the dirt. A little girl walked in front of Emma's booth and looked at the different flowers in front of her. She pointed to a pink one and Emma picked it up and gave it to her. She didn't have the heart to tell the girl that she had to pay for it. The small blonde smiled and her face lit up.

"You know, these flowers are rumored that they will never die. You can keep that one for as long as you'd like," Emma said, smiling at the little girl.

"But I don't have any money."

Emma shrugged, "don't worry about it. Now, run along, there are many other booths to see."

The girl skipped off and Emma watched as she went to a booth that was selling seashells. A man came around the corner and stopped in front of her booth. She crossed her arms over her chest as she saw who it was. "How much for a flower, Emma?" He asked.

"Five copper coins, Jefferson,(Dionysus)" she said.

He fished in his pocket for the correct amount of money. "That would pay for the little girl."

She held out her hand as he dropped the money into it, "thanks."

"So, word on Olympus is that you left home to live down here amongst the mortals. Are we Olympians too good for you?"

"I don't have to justify myself to you. Run along, Jefferson."

"But I want to talk. I heard about your kidnapping with Killian. So why are you down here?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'd tell you to figure it out yourself, but I don't want to hear your theories. Get out of here." She didn't want him to know that she actually didn't remember anything about Killian.

He nodded and pulled a small vine of grapes out of his satchel. "Grapes for the road? Or maybe some wine?"

"No. I don't need anything that you have to offer."

He shrugged his shoulders and popped a grape into his mouth. "I'm just trying to help."

"Yeah, well I don't need it." Jefferson went to another booth and paid attention to the young woman standing behind the counter. Emma went back to arranging the flowers in a more eye capturing way when another person walked up to her booth. A smile formed on her face. "What can I get for you, Ruby?" Emma asked.

"Why didn't you tell me you were down here now?" Ruby asked.

Emma shrugged, "it's hard to find you and your pack."

"We have that effect. Anyway, what have you heard of Killian?"

"My dad banned him from ever seeing me again, so I ran away. Apparently he has been looking for me because he sent Cerberus after me. I had to move here in order to hide from him. I can't face Killian again."

"That explains why you smell like lavender instead of narcissus."

Emma laughed, "I'm glad you noticed."

Ruby picked up a few red flowers. "How much for all of these?"

Emma counted out all the flowers and added the price together. Ruby handed her the correct amount of money. "Have a nice evening, Ruby."

"Please be careful. If you need me, just find me. We won't be too far." She nodded and watched Ruby walk away.

For the rest of the day, Emma sold her flowers. She hadn't seen Killian but he had all sorts of magic that he would be able to hide behind and make it seem like he wasn't watching her, but she didn't sense that anyone was watching her though. The sun was starting to set and she had enough money to at least buy a bed, but with her powers, she could easily make a leafy bed for the night. She looked out the window and watched as the sun sank behind the rolling hills in the distance. The sky slowly turned from orange and pink to the darkened navy blue. She looked up and saw the stars. Being down on Earth was much safer for her than being up on Olympus. Emma actually liked spending time down here with the mortals and pretending to be a normal person.

-----

David watched through the clouds of people and saw that Emma was being a successful young woman. The thought made him smile. He loved the idea that his daughter was being independent, but still wasn't ready to let his baby girl go. Mary Margaret walked out on the balcony where her husband stood. "She's fine, David," Mary assured him.

He nodded and closed the space in the clouds. "I know. I just worry about her. With Killian after her, it isn't safe."

"Killian doesn't even know where she is right now. Besides, he probably thinks that she is up here."

David sighed. "But what if he knows she is on Earth? What if he knows where she is and is planning to take her again? We wouldn't even know what happened to her."

"You need to believe. Have some faith in her. If there was something wrong, and she was truly in danger, she would come to us. She knows that we are here for her."

He nodded, "you're right."

"When am I ever not?"

He laughed and hugged Mary Margaret. She gladly returned it and he pushed her to the bed. "Now that we are alone..." He trailed off kissing her lips.

-----

Killian walked for miles and miles. Adrenaline pumping through his veins as he looked for Emma. He came across an abandoned cottage with all of the lights out. His first thought was that she was hiding there, but he quickly dismissed it. His brother would make sure that she was living in style and luxury, not in some poor peasant's house. He noticed the lavender flowers decorating in front of the house as well. Emma's favorite flower was the narcissus. She would be decorating with those instead of lavender.

He continued his walk, not paying anymore attention to the cottage that indeed held the love of his life. His Swan. The light to his dark.

He continued his search throughout the night, wondering where she could be. He wasn't as violent as Mary Margaret was when she was looking for Emma, but he was getting upset. Was David hiding her from him? He wasn't surprised if he was, but he wasn't going to give up. He had hope that he was going to find her. He waited almost one hundred years to actually bring her home with him, so he could wait at least that long in trying to find her.

Dionysus- God of wine and fertility.