Thanks for dropping by. None of the characters belong to me, any and all mistakes do.
DAY ONE - ARRIVAL
Emma couldn't place it but something was different in Storybrooke. She had awoken to a feeling of wrongness. But for the life of her she just couldn't figure out why.
Nothing was out of the ordinary, at least not in Storybrooke's terms. Everyone was going about their business as usual. Henry was at school, Regina was at town hall, David was spending his day off with Snow and Neal; at Granny's last time she checked. They were all safe and sound. So why couldn't Emma shake the crawling feeling of dread?
Sat at her desk Emma chewed restlessly on the end of her pen, while reviewing the reports that were due to go to the Mayor's office at the end of the day. Her leg bounced agitatedly, she couldn't focus. Emma threw her pen across her desk and launched herself out of her seat. She grabbed her red leather jacket in passing, as she marched out of the Sheriff's Office and onto Main Street.
Emma looked up and down the street unsure of what she really wanted to do. She was twitchy and it didn't sit well with her. Taking a deep breath Emma willed herself to calm. Patrol. Seeing the town, knowing that everything was as it should be, would put her mind at ease.
Exchanging pleasantries with any residents that felt the need to engage their Sheriff in conversation, gave Emma a welcomed distraction. She helped Mrs Jackson carry her groceries to her car. Assisted Michael in attaching his tow truck to the broken-down jeep of Mr Gilbert. And yet the feeling still niggled at her.
In the distance, she heard the school bell go announcing the end of the school day. Henry was sure to go to Granny's, perhaps seeing the kid would help. She'd give him time to get there and settled first she decided, taking out her parking tickets and placing one on David's truck just for fun.
Emma froze on the street across from Granny's the feeling that had been plaguing her all day ramping itself up to one hundred. Every fibre of her being was set on edge. Why?
She looked through the window into the diner and took note of each face. It settled on the face of a stranger. He was busy talking to Granny across the bar. Emma growled low in her throat. He stared at her through the window and motioned to her. Granny turned to the window and smiled while answering the man's question. Who the hell was this guy?
Granny had been listening to the stranger sing Storybrooke's praise for what felt like hours now. Answering questions and listening to anecdotes of his travels. She didn't think much of him, he was tall and lean; could definitely use a few good meals to put some meat on his bones. He dressed like a scruff and his blonde hair was a mess, with a straggly beard which he clearly didn't know how to keep; uneven chunks cut out of it in a failed attempt at grooming.
He paused in his story and asked, "Who is that?"
Granny looked at the man and followed his pointing finger. She was tempted to rap his knuckles. She smiled seeing the Sheriff across the street. Though the poor girl looked furious for some reason, maybe she and the Mayor had had a disagreement, "That is Sheriff Swan."
"Does Sheriff Swan have a first name?" He asked tearing his eyes away from the blonde woman that was making her way to the entrance.
"Emma," Granny responded tersely, "Why do you ask?"
With a smile that didn't reach his eyes he gazed into his mug, "The name rings a bell with me."
The bell above the door jingled and the Sheriff entered the diner, a call from the booth at the back caught her attention briefly. She waved a hand to Henry in acknowledgement and stepped up to the counter.
Beating the woman to the punch the man stuck out his hand with a polite smile, "Hello Sheriff Emma Swan, pleasure to meet you."
Emma's eyes darted to the outstretched hand and back to the man's face. His smile faltered and his hand fell to his side, shifting a little at the intense expression, "You seem to have me at a disadvantage."
"Of course, of course, sorry I'm just so excited to meet you. I'm Virgil," He laughed at himself depreciatingly.
"Do you have a surname Virgil?" He shook his head negatively, she hummed, "Unusual."
"I'm a simple guy," Virgil said with a shrug.
"Well Virgil, simple guy, what brings you to Storybrooke?" Emma questioned, signing to Granny across the bar for her usual coffee, "Will you be staying long?"
It sounded like an innocent enough question, but there was an underlying tone in the Sheriff's enquiry which made Granny look between the two more closely. The Sheriff was still tense and without seemingly trying the pair were gathering the entire diner's attention. Every patron talking more quietly and sending surreptitious glances their way.
Virgil lifted his mug and took a sip, he licked his lips lowering the mug back to the counter, "Happy accident, that I stumbled across this quaint little town. I think I'll stick around for a little while, the food here smells delicious."
Emma's jaw clenched, "I don't think so," she withheld the snarl that was begging to break through when he smirked at her, "I think you'd be better just carrying on your way." Her fist tightened at her side when he laughed.
He stood from his barstool and squared off to her and clicked his tongue, "No I'm pretty sure I'm staying. Emma Swan." He stepped into her space and whispered into her ear, "I always wanted to meet you. I'm glad that the rumours about your death weren't accurate."
Emma's body shook at the effort it took to restrain herself from doing anything hasty, retreating from his closeness. She hissed, "Leave."
"I'm not going anywhere sweetheart," he grinned, "I can see why you chose to stay here, who doesn't love a quiet little town?"
He shouldered past her laughing, when she released a violent frustrated breath. Emma turned her back to the rest of the diner and rested on the counter. A weathered hand rested on her clenched fist, urging her to release the tension. Emma looked a Granny with a grateful smile. The old battle axe sniffed and nodded towards the booth were her family were sitting. Emma grabbed her coffee and made her way over, pointedly ignoring the looks that were being sent her way.
Emma was vaguely surprised to see Regina there, but not unpleasantly so. When Henry and Regina slid along to make room for her, she quite happily took the spot next to Regina with a contentedness in herself that she hadn't felt since yesterday. Emma sipped at her coffee and waited to see who would break and ask first.
She didn't have to wait long, Henry couldn't resist, "Do you know him mom?"
"Nope," Emma replied popping the p.
Snow frowned and passed Neal to his father, she leaned on the table and examined her daughter's face carefully, "He spoke like he knew you Emma," the twitch Emma gave was barely discernible, "And I've never seen you react to anyone the way you just did. Except…" Snow trailed off.
"Except?" Henry asked looking between his grandmother and birth mother.
"Except when you first got here, before the curse broke," Snow tentatively carried on, "It was antagonistic Emma and I've only ever seen you like that with Regina."
Regina smirked humorously, "It's true dear. I noticed it too, I'm almost jealous, Emma, that someone else can get that sort of rise out of you so effortlessly." The expression faded a little when she saw that Emma was less than amused by the situation.
"I don't know him but I do know that I don't like him," Emma's fingers tapped against the table rhythmically, "He's dangerous."
"Emma," David laughed, "You said it yourself, you don't know the man and he only just got here. Dangerous is a little extreme, don't you think?"
"No I don't," Emma's replied tersely.
"Why Emma?" Snow's forehead was furrowed in concern, for whatever reason Emma was truly bothered by this newcomer and Snow wanted to understand why.
Emma sighed and her family waited quietly for her, "He knew me," she looked at each of them, "Before I ever came here I travelled in a lot of circles, none of them particularly safe. You don't become a good bounty hunter by spending time with good people. You want leads, then you go to the bottom rung. To catch a bad guy at their own game, you put yourself in their position. And that's what I did."
"I don't get it," Henry said looking at the adults for some clarification.
Regina patted his leg under the table, "I think what Emma is trying to say is that she had a reputation in less reputable circles."
Emma nodded at Regina's assessment, "Virgil isn't someone to mess with. So please do me a favour and stay away from him. Ok?"
Henry laughed at how serious Emma was being over one man, "You guys have dealt with way worse, you've fought all sorts of monsters, he can't be that bad."
Emma's eyes flashed dangerously startling them all, "Yes Henry he can, so stay away from him!" She stood, "I've got to get back to the station. See you later."
She ignored the worried looks her parents and Henry gave her and the suspicious look that Regina seemed to reserve for her and left the diner with urgency.
Emma squinted her eyes stepping into the sun. Her stomach growled loudly and she huffed to herself. Typical. She stalked towards the forest and prayed to any higher power that felt like listening that Virgil didn't stay long.