Forgiveness

 

Prompt: After she breaks the curse, for days Emma is thinking about the things that happened those last months and is thinking about the chemistry she felt in Jeff’s mansion and about Jefferson’s words too.. (Let’s not talk about the storm Mr Gold has released tho lol, because we don’t know what will be its effect) So one night she decides to go to Jeff’s home, to find him and talk to him…. the rest is up to you dear mad swan shippers who write fanfictions…

           "You think you're the Mad Hatter."

            "My name is Jefferson."

            When Emma first had time to collect her thoughts after breaking the curse, she realized that in addition to Henry and August, another person had known the truth. A man who desperately tried to make her see it, too. Jefferson. He wasn't mad after all. And Henry's classmate, Paige, really was his daughter, Grace. A wave of guilt crashed over her. Certainly, he'd chosen the wrong way to attempt to make her believe, but he was desperate. She'd only been forced to watch Henry be raised by another woman for a year; Jefferson suffered through nearly three decades of his child being cared for by others. For days Emma debated whether or not she should visit Jefferson, apologize for what happened, for not believing.

            'He kidnapped and drugged me. But only because he wanted his daughter back. But he held a gun to my head; he forced me to make a hat. He must have thought he was out of options. He held Mary Margaret hostage, too. But he never would have hurt her.' Emma's thoughts waffled between anger and remorse as she tried to decide what to do.

            "I know what you refuse to acknowledge, Emma. You're special." Emma shot awake. She couldn't get him out of her head. She knew what she had to do. Later that day, she would go back to the mansion. She didn't know what she planned to say to him or what she would do, but avoiding him clearly wasn't good for her mental health. Emma managed a few more hours of uneasy sleep and then got ready for a day of work. It seemed all but pointless going into the Sheriff's office lately, but she needed to do something to retain a sense of normalcy. That night, she drove to Jefferson's home and approached the door, wary of seeing her captor again, but knowing she didn't truly have a choice.

            "Emma." Jefferson answered the door, shocked at her presence.

            "Jefferson. Can we talk?"

            "Of course." He opened the door wider to allow her in.

            "I think...I owe you an apology." Jefferson raised his eyebrows. "I mean, you did kidnap me and Mary...Snow, but I, I can see why."

            "You forgive me?" He was shocked. Emma smiled.

            "If you can forgive me for knocking you out with a telescope." Jefferson returned her smile.

            "You thought you were in danger. I can't blame you for defending yourself. But you have to know I never would have hurt you. Or your mother." Emma flinched at Snow being called her mother, but was glad that Jefferson seemed willing to put the incident behind them.

            "Right. So...is Grace here?" At this Emma was rewarded with the brightest of grins.

            "No, she's at a sleepover. I thought it would be good for her to spend time with some friends, to help her readjust, you know?"

            "Yeah, that's probably good. Henry's practically in heaven talking to all the kids about...what should I call it? I've just been thinking of it as fairytale land."

            "That works as well as anything. There were different realms there; we're not all from the very same place. But if you need a word for that other world as a whole, it does no harm to think of it that way." Emma nodded. "Can I get you anything?" Jefferson offered.

            "Uh, no, I'm good, thanks."

            "Even though we've forgiven each other, you still don't trust me."

            "It's not that - "

            "Yes, it is. Emma, what can I do to show you that you shouldn't be afraid of me?" He advanced on her and she subconsciously took a step back. "Emma," he pleaded, "I promise, you're safe with me." Jefferson reached out a hand and rested it on her hip. She breathed in sharply. For a moment, she flashed back to his hand on her shoulder, pushing her down. His lips by her ear, his chin on her head. She froze, and he took the opportunity to move even closer, narrowing the space between their bodies to but an inch. He placed his other hand on her other hip. Emma kept her eyes unsteadily on his.

            "Jefferson - "

            "I know you were scared and confused when I brought you here, but you must have felt what I did, perhaps less so, but I know you felt it just the same. The electricity, the magnetism. I'm drawn to you, Emma. I have been from the moment you came to this town. And you're drawn to me, too."

            "I -" Emma was cut off as he slid his hands from her hips to her waist and closed the remaining gap between them.

            "Don't fight me, Emma. Haven't we fought enough?" She gave him a small, uncertain smile. That was encouragement enough. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. After a beat, Emma returned the kiss. As he felt his healing heart beat faster between them, he resolved to keep her close - though affection, and never again aggression. His hands moved to her back and he clung to her as if she were life itself. And in a way, she was. She had given him his life back. Though Emma had saved them all, Jefferson was inclined to think of her as his own particular savior.

            He thought back to what he had told her:  "You brought something precious to Storybrooke - magic." As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Jefferson was more convinced than ever that she undoubtedly had.