Bumping Into You

Chapter 28

Trigger warning! This chapter contains drug use and dark themes.

She wanted to resist eating, but after twelve hours in the cellar and not having eaten since the day before, she had finally succumbed. Gold had provided her with a bowl of chicken broth and crackers so Emma attacked them with ferocity. But the soup had tasted off and after an hour she began to grow drowsy. As her eyes drooped closed, she cursed the man and his warped mind.

A sharp sting in her arm snapped her awake and she found herself looking into the cold eyes of Cruella who was grinning at her. She spotted the syringe in the woman's hand and looked over Cruella's shoulder at Robert Gold who had his gun pointed at her.

"What did you give me you bastard?" Emma growled.

Gold chuckled at her and lowered the gun to his side as Cruella backed away until she stood behind him. "A gift dearie." Emma's eyes narrowed at him before she felt a fire spread up her arm. "A little product I had left over, something to begin your transformation."

It hit her like a freight train and despite her situation, Emma smiled. Her eyes became hooded and she felt an intense pleasure that she had never felt before in her life. Her body and mind felt like they were floating. A part of her, a part that was fading rapidly, fought against the ecstasy that began to engulf her in waves.

"W-why?" Her voice sounded so far away to her. The ability to focus on Gold and his response slipped through her consciousness like water through her fingers. Gold smuggly regarded her and her current condition with pride.

"I told you dearie. I mean to destroy you as you have destroyed my life." The hatred he felt burning inside him was clearly evident in his voice as he spit out his answer. "The virtuous federal agent Emma Swan Nolan, brought down by her drug addiction. I intend to turn you into a junkie and an outcast. The life you knew before is now over." He reached down and patted her arm in a gesture of contempt. "Welcome to your new life dearie."

For the life of her, Emma could not bring herself to care about what Gold was saying. All she cared about at the moment was how good she felt, and how she wanted to feel that way forever.

Frantic phone calls from Storybrooke to Boston to New York in multiple combinations had finally ended as the evening matured. Emotionally and mentally exhausted, Regina had finally retired to Ruby's guest bedroom which had unofficially become her's. Ruby had spent an abbreviated work day managing her diner so she could return home and offer help and support to David and Regina. David had scoured Storybrooke for any kind of clue, witness or rumor about Emma's disappearance while Regina had used her mayoral office to contact law enforcement agencies all over the northeast region of the country. By nightfall all federal and most local law enforcement agencies were on alert for the missing FBI agent.

It was obvious that Regina was at her wits end and needed help with taking care of Henry. It was David who came up with the idea of bringing Mary Margaret up from Boston to assist the distraught mother. He was preparing to leave to do just that when Ruby stopped him.

"Do you really think that Gold has her?" Her voice was quiet, in part so she wouldn't be accidentally overheard by Regina, but also because she was afraid to hear his answer.

There was a grim look in his eyes as David answered her. "Emma wouldn't just vanish like this without a trace, someone got to her. My money is on that bastard Gold." Ruby shook her head in worry.

"I just can't believe this is actually happening. Do-do you think that he would...?" She couldn't bring herself to even say her fear aloud, however David understood what she meant.