Can't Stop | Captain Swan AU

Run Away

Emma knocks on Mary Margaret's door. She anxiously taps her foot waiting for a response. Then the sudden noise of locks unlocking excites Emma.

"Emma, I just got home. How are you?" Mary Margaret greets Emma. "Come in, come in". Emma walks in comfortably, not like when she was first invited over. 

"I'm- let's not talk about me just yet. How are you? How's David" Emma sighs as she sits down on the counter chair, in the kitchen. Mary Margaret walks over the sink and continues washing dishes.

"I'm okay. Work and more work. I've been checking up on David and he's good, but I can't help feeling like you're not good. What's going on Emma?" Mary Margaret asks. Emma hadn't realized that she came here to vent to Mary Margaret. Instead of going back to her small apartment and loath her life. This was her first instinct.

"You wouldn't believe my last few days," Emma lays her forehead on to the titled island counter. Emma goes on to tell her about Graham helping her out with the car and how Regina found out. In addition to the rumors that have been going around the town about her and Killian, according to Regina.

"Well..." Mary Margaret says as though she knew about the rumors. Emma looks at Mary Margaret. She stops washing the dishes and sighs.

"Did you know about the rumors?" Emma asks.

"I overheard a conversation, but I had no clue that the town was talking about you two," Mary Margaret tries to explain herself. Emma just groans. If one of the most secluded elementary teachers of the town knew, everyone must have been talking. "I'm sorry, I should have told you right away."

"No, it's fine. That's Storybrooke," Emma replies. Emma looks down. 

"That's not all is it?"Mary Margaret asks. Emma looks up and darts her eyes down. "Killian, right?" Mary Margaret grins mischievously. Emma continues with her crazy last night, including all details but the kiss.

"So you're telling me you just happened to be living across from Killian Jones. Karma is a-"

"A bitch, I know," Emma finishes the sentence. 

"I can't wrap my head around it," Mary Margaret tries to understand Emma's line of luck. "So you're here to tell me all this. However, in reality, you're running away."

"What?" Emma asks confused.

"You're running away from facing him, aren't you? That's why you're here" Mary Margaret points out. Emma was a bit offended by the comment. She honestly just wanted to tell her only friends her problems before she would...try to run away from them. Emma feels a weight in the pit of her stomach. "Oh Emma, I didn't mean to..."

"No, no. You're right" Emma's throat tightens. Mary Margaret had noticed Emma's dramatic switch in expressions. "I run. That's what I do. I learned to run away so I don't get hurt."

"Aren't you done with running, Emma?" Mary Margaret says.

-------------------------------

*Flashback: 10 years ago continued*

An eighteen-year-old, Mary Margaret and David Nolan, rush into the sheriff station two days after the initial arrest. Emma sits on the small cell bed with her hugging knees into her chest. She looked drained, gray. David walks into the Sheriff's office to bail out Emma. Mary Margaret walks over to her best friend.

"Emma, we got the bail money. It took us a while because we had to gather it from neighbors. Together we didn't have enough, but we're here now. You'll get out and we'll get you a lawyer. Soon enough all of this will blow over. Okay?" Mary Margaret says, putting her face between the cell bars. Emma doesn't move. She keeps her face buried in her knees. "You'll get you back to the apartment. Everything is okay." 

Emma knew that was a lie. Nothing was ever going to be the same. What she thought was home, wasn't really what she pictured. Things became distorted for her. "I just want to leave," Emma mumbles to Mary Margaret.

"Of course, they'll let you out right now. I promise," Mary Margaret tries to give positive news. 

Graham walks over to the cells and takes out his keys. Mary Margaret points her nose in the air, ignoring him. As he unlocks the door, Emma stands up and stumbles over to the door. "I hoped you enjoyed your stay here," Graham says under his breath, enough for Emma and Mary Margaret to hear. Emma charges at him but David rushes over and holds her back. 

"You don't have to be a-a-" Mary Margaret tries to think of a word.

"A dick," Emma blurts out as David takes her out the door.

"He's not worth it Emma," David tries to calm her down.

"Let me go David," Emma pulls away from his grasp. They stand in front of the station doors. She fixes her coat and stares at David and Mary Margaret. "Thank you," Emma says weak, her eyes red and puffy from two nights of constant tears.

"Do you want to tell us what happened?" Mary Margaret rests her hand on Emma's shoulder. Emma moves away quickly. 

"I'm pretty sure they told you what I did," Emma looks down at her feet.

"That's not the Emma we know, though. It was Killian wasn't it?" David says with anger behind his voice. Emma nods softly. "I could kill him."

"He's a terrible influence" Mary Margaret adds. Although all that happened, Emma felt the need to defend Killian. She desperately wanted to say how it was her fault as well for falling for his tricks, but she kept it to herself.

"You want to go get something to eat at Granny's?" Mary Margaret tries to change the mood.

"I'll meet you guys there. I need to go change out of these clothes," Emma says. Mary Margaret nods and hands Emma her bag. "Give me 30 minutes". They go their separate ways.

Emma rushes into her and Mary Margaret's loft. She throws her bag on the couch and quickly rummages through her closet. She hauls out a large suitcase and starts shoving clothing randomly in the case. Nothing else mattered in this moment but getting away. She pulls all of her clothes from the hangers and tucks them away as well. She closes the luggage and pulls out a duffle from under her bed. She starts packing her boots and shoes one by one. 

She locks up the loft and hauls the luggage and duffle down the stairs. When walking out onto the sidewalk, she drops the duffle. It falls very close to someone.

"Watch where you're dropping your trash," a young Regina scoffs. Emma rolls her eyes and picks it up, walking right by her.

Emma loads up her yellow bug and hops into the driver's seat. She starts up the car and recklessly pulls into the on-going traffic. The cars honk, but she ignores them. She drives past the diner without a second thought. She is determined to leave like she had told Mary Margaret. Emma has one hand on the wheel and the other holding Killian's ring.