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Emma was fascinated by everything that glimmered. David had no idea why, but she was. She’d already stolen Regina’s and Hook’s jewelry, wearing them and examining them in curiosity. Hook’s rings were too big on her long fingers, dangling and threatening to fall, but she didn’t seem to care.
She was sitting on floor, one leg curled under her as the other one was extended forward, moving her hands closer and further away from her face to see just how the jewelry would shine. She had Snow’s jewelry box next to her, untouched. David knew that his wife didn’t have many jewelry, but the ones she did have had a meaning. He didn’t know how Emma would react to those, considering they weren’t as glamorous as Regina’s.
But jewelry seemed perfect to be a distraction, as she hadn’t spoken a single word since. She hummed occasionaly, filling the room with that stormy buzzing sound, and then she would go back to absoloute silence. Regina thought maybe it would be a good idea to keep her distracted as long as possible, and had left to bring some of her old pieces she never wore now.
They were too afraid to actually talk. They didn’t want to get Emma’s attention, so they sat down and watched her, wondering just what she had become.
David looked at Killian, who was watching Emma play with his ring. She was trying the ring on each finger until she finally deemed it worthy on her ring finger. It was still too big but Emma was already examining the necklace on her neck –the one she’d taken from Regina before she’d left.
He felt bad for Killian. He knew what it was like to not know what to do to help the one you love. It was frustrating and scary, leaving you all alone with thoughts and many different scenerios in your head. The pirate was holding the dagger with his lovers name on it like his life depended on it.
Regina came, holding two velvet boxes in her hands. Emma didn’t even look up from the silver earings she was holding. Regina glanced at the sigils on the wall, trying to see just how long it would hold, and then placed the boxes next to Emma.
The boxes opened up by themselves even though Emma didn’t move in the slightest. Regina sat down in the corner, watching and trying to understand what kind of Dark One Emma was supposed to be.
When she looked at the boxes, Emma’s skin shone even though her experssion didn’t change. David didn’t know much about magic and how it was used or how it affected people, but he guessed that his daughter’s shiny skin was somehow tied to her emotions. The shining stopped and Emma palmed through dozens of necklaces and bracelets and rings.
He had to admit, she kind of looked silly. Emma had became the Dark One, wearing and black, and she was on the floor, with multiple necklaces of different kind hanging from her neck and arms. It was almost…childish.
He furrowed his brows and looked at Snow. She was watching her daughter with the same amount of care, taking in her every move. She looked at him and he knew that she’d realised the same thing too.
Emma was acting childish.
David didn’t even know if childish was the proper word to describe it, but that was all he had. She was curious and oddly enough, even had an innocent feeling around her. It was all kinds of weird. But his daughter was on the floor, trying on jewelry as the Dark One.
Emma abrubtly stopped still and tilted her head. She slowly turned her head to Snow’s small box, untouched on her other side. Snow mainly kept things that mattered to her, things of great and small value. If Snow felt an emotional connection to it, the item would end up in the box’s safety. Emma opened the box gently and took out a handmade, braided bracelet. Henry had made it for Snow few years ago and she’d kept it. There were tiny blue stones in it and the braids were a bit loose after years, but it was still nice.
Emma held the bracelet between her two fingers and let it hang in the air. She looked at it for a long time before the tiny stones started to crystalize. Then she gently put it down. The next item was a butterfly shaped brooch. David watched as the butterfly came to life and started flapping it wings, flying around in the room as it shone when light it it’s wings.
It was amazing, that she was the Dark One but her magic was still incredible. Emma picked up a ring and David held his breath. He recognised the ring. He’d had it made long before Emma was born, a gift to give her when she was old enough. It was made of glass with luck and love engraved in it. Emma held it in her palm, her hands shaking. Then the room was filled with a lullaby. It was Snow’s voice, from ages ago, singing to herself.
David breathed hard, watching Emma as she obviously became disturbed. She let out a growl and snapped her other hand over the ring, crashing it to pieces. The buttefly turned to stone and fell down, smashing apart, as the jewelry on her turned to diamonds and then to dust. Everyone sat still, not sure how to react as Emma breathed deeply.
A small crying noise filled the room and Snow stood up. They’d forgotten that Neal was asleep when they’d brought and trapped Emma. She looked up to where the noise came from and her face calmed down. A blink later, she was gone, holding her brother in her arms. She looked calm and collected again, her face unreadible. She soothed her baby brother, moving softly. The room was filled with Snow’s singing again, caused by Emma’s magic.
Snow slowly walked up to her, the rest of the team behind her. This was the second time she’s afraid that her daughter might hurt her son and she hated herself for it. Emma’s too gentle with Neal, too gentle when she traced a finger to his cheek. She turned around and put him down to his crib. Emma’s eyes were fixed on Regina and she didn't look happy. Everyone could tell and they weren't sure if they should stand in the way or not.
“I never had this.” Emma said. “I never had parents…I never had lullabys.” Her voice was still eerily calm but her body language screamed danger. She walked up to Regina and her eyes turned to slits.
“All because of…you.” Her voice was too soft, something wasn’t right. Emma was angry. The room started to shake –all but Neal’s crib. A tornado, swirling inside the house with wrath as Emma stood in the middle, seemingly unaffected and the picture of calmness.
“You never let me have a family.” She said, her whisper of a voice somehow audible over the wind. She shook her head and Regina fell to her knee’s, choking. Emma stood still as she watched the former evil queen, choking the life and magic out of her. But then her eyes widened and everything stopped.
She slowly turned to Killian, who was holding the dagger towards her, who’d ordered her to stop. They stare at each other and David’s proud of Killian when he doesn’t flinch or blink when Emma teleports herself to inches away from his way with her hand on his chest. Her face was marble.
But David remembered that Killian was Captain Hook. Captain Hook who’d searched for the Dark One for hundreds of years. Now the Dark One was infront of him and he had the dagger, but he was staring down at his girlfriend. David looked down for a second.
The irony was too strong and not funny enough.
“Where’s Rumplestiltskin?” The question was for everyone even though her eyes were on Killian.
“We won’t tell you.” Killian said, using his best Captain Hook voice. Emma tilted her head.
“Tell me or tell me not, I will find him.” She said easily.
“You’re not going to harm him.”
“I won’t?” she asked, tilting her head to the other side. “But you wanted him dead for too long.”
“You won’t harm anyone in this town.” Killian orderered firmly and Emma took a step back. She blinked and all of his necklaces and rings were back on him. Except for one. Emma kept the ring on her ring finger as she walked back next to the jewelry boxes and sat down.
The broken ring was one piece again.