Splendid

Chapter 2

Two days later, Emma was still reeling from her revelation.

She had been less than a few inches from him when she realized she was in love.

Love

What a small word, yet it had cost so many lives. Hell, it was the reason she was in this world, in this town, in the first place.

Love had done nothing but cause her unending amounts of pain. She was a fool to believe that this time would be any different.

But that just it. She did believe, or at least she wanted to. She wanted this to last. She'd messed up with Neal, and Graham, and August and countless others and all because she had been unwilling to believe.

She wouldn't make that mistake this time.

The orphanage had taught her that believing can get you hurt. But then she came to this town, this crazy, insane, magical town, and met Henry. He taught her that not even trying to believe hurt a hell of a lot more.

The clatter of a mug hitting her table brought her out of her reverie.

She looked up to see Ruby's smiling face. She glanced to the mug that had been set on her table. The smell of cinnamon wafted up to her. She inhaled deeply, immediatly calmed by the scent that had always relaxed her in times of stress.

"Thanks, Ruby," She said, not taking her eyes off the hot cocoa.

Ruby sat down across from her, the glittering red stone in her nose flashing as it crossed into the path of a sunbeam.

"Does Granny know about that?" Emma remarked, her eyebrows raising as she looked pointedly at the nose ring. Ruby immediatly brought her hand up to her face, partially blocking the gemstone from view of the counter where Granny was talking amiably, or at least, amicable for Granny, with Whale who was pretending to look interested in whatever Granny was saying while not so covertly checking Ruby out.

Honestly, it's hard to put much blame on him. Some of Ruby's outfits were more than a little innapropriate, and more than likely illegal in some states. But the way Whale's gaze kept roving up and down Ruby's form, and right in front of her grandmother no less, made it really hard to like him.

Emma brought her attention back to Ruby, eyebrows rising a little higher.

Ruby rolled her eyes, "No, she doesn't know, and as long as no one says anything, she never will."

Emma doubted that, but kept her opinion to herself in favor of picking up the cocoa and taking a long draw. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor, and the warmth that enveloped her with every swallow of the drink.

When she opened her eyes, it was to Ruby's scrutinizing gaze

"What?" She said innocently, setting down the cocoa, feeling dread replace the previous warmth, knowing the topic of her stare.

"So.... you ran off pretty quickly the other night," Ruby said.

Emma assumed a thoughtful expression. "I didn't really see it as running. More like going out for some air." She replied, trying to avoid Ruby's speculative questions.

"Well, somebody seemed pretty concerned, because a lot of people saw him running-" Ruby paused, raising her eyebrows and resting her chin on her fist, "I mean 'going out for some air', pretty quickly after you."

Emma really didn't want to be having this conversation right now.

She sighed. "Ruby..."

Ruby smiled, standing up and resting her hands flat on the table. "I'm not after interrogating you, Emma. I just wanted to let you know that people noticed you two leaving together the other night." Ruby leaned closer to Emma, her already inappropriately short shorts riding up even higher, drawing the attention of several male patrons, and a disapproving frown from Granny.

"And to warn you," Ruby continued, ignoring Granny and the men, "that I won't be the only one asking questions about you and Captain Leather."

The jingle of the café door brought their attention to see the topic of their conversation walking through the door towards them.

Hook was indeed wearing his trademark leather attire; leather pants, leather jacket, leather boots and, of course, the silver hook. She just wished it didn't make him so sexy and appealing.

His swaggering walk had always seemed arrogant, but today he had an extra air of confidence. It took her a moment to identify it. Self satisfaction.

Normally, that would make Emma want to slap that smug look right off his face. But today, for some reason, she found it endearing rather than annoying. As he came closer to the table, Emma was aware of a fluttering in her stomach.

Hook stopped at the table, smiling first at Emma, then Ruby. Emma felt heat suffusing her face as the memories of the last time they were together rushed back to the forefront of her mind, as if it had been seconds, instead of days.