Troubled Water

28. family

family : a group of people who are related to each other

*  *  *

Years ago, almost a year after Emma had had her heart broken, she decided to leave for another realm. At first, she was going to go see her parents, but as you can all guess, she didn't. Why? Fear, maybe? She did not know why, but she was afraid of what they would think of what she became.

She never told Regina where she was going, but she swore she would come back. If, in a year, she was not back, it would mean she was dead. Regina also never knew what happened during that year. No one could know and Emma still wondered how she kept it all for herself.

In the meantime, during that year, Regina met the famous Robin Hood, in an attempt to steal a royal carriage. He saved her from being attacked by a guard. However, it had not been easy for Robin to convince Regina that he loved her and that she could love as well, but he finally won his battle. And so, the first thing that Emma saw when she came back was Regina and Robin kissing.

And so, after ten years, Emma still had that secret that she kept all for herself. No one would ever know about it.

However, after lying to Elizabeth the night before, it made her think about it, especially when she was standing at the doorstep of her parent's house, again. She waited there, trying to convince herself to knock, until the door opened without her doing anything and her mother almost bumped into her. She stopped, froze, couldn't believe it.

"U-uh..." Emma just... didn't know what to say.

"Emma." her mother spoke. "Emma. Emma, it's you!" she said and hugged her daughter. "It's you!"

She pulled back and examined her daughter, who wasn't a kid anymore. "You're so grown up." she said. "Wow!"

"Y-yeah... I..."

She looked at her mothers face, saw the tears in her eyes and after a moment, she rushed in her arms.

"I missed you..." she whispered to her ear.

* * *

"But are you going to stay?" David asked as they were all sitting at the table eating dinner, for the first time in a decade.

"I don't think I can... I told Regina I would be back soon and I've already been gone longer than I expected. And... something just happened here that I would simply like to forget." Emma declared.

"Something just happened...?" her mother asked, trying to understand why her daughter would leave so soon.

"It's nothing you need to be concerned about." Emma said after hesitating. "But I will come back, I promise."

"Can you at least stay the night?" her
mother asked and the blonde could simply not refuse.

"I think I can do that." she replied with a smile. Her parents replied with the same gesture. "Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, sure, honey."

"Did you know that Charles had a brother?" Emma asked and surprised her mother, who almost dropped her mug.

"N-no, I did not. Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I met the woman that could have been my cousin." she explained. "Her name is Elizabeth, daughter of Weatherby Swann."

"He never spoke a word of him or his daughter." she said. David did not add a word, but he prefered not to get in any conversation concerning Charles Swan.

"Apparently he had his reasons." the blonde replied.

* * *

In the morning, Emma left her parents, holding back the tears. She walked, head low, straight to the closest dock, where she planned on getting in a ship to get back home. As she was examinating the boats from afar, planning her return, someone tapped on her shoulder and she jumped.

"Relax, blondie, it's only me." said Jack Sparrow.

She sighed. "What do you want?"

"Oh, me, nothing. Just helping out a... well, I can't call him a friend, but... Anyway, I am only delivering a message." he said as he got out of his pocket with a flick of the wrist, a small piece of cloth, to which was attached a ring that Emma immediatly recognized.

"He really asked you to bring me this?" she said and laughed.

"He's a desperate man." he added. "Have a nice trip, milady. I'll see you around."

"Yeah, sure." she said nonchalantly as he left. Her eyes then looked at her finger. She had lost the ring, the one she always kept. She had not even noticed it was missing, since she was too busy hating him.

I found it on my ship,
I thought you'd like it back.
- Killian

She slid the ring across her finger and put the piece of cloth in her pocket before walking towards the ship that would bring her home.

I wasn't too slow, was I? :p So what I wrote about in the beginning will be revealed very soon, don't worry ;)
There is some more action coming up and more Captain Swan of course :)
Comment your thoughts on the chapter :)
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