Hey, ya'll. Premise was inspired by the story "A Home For a Swan" by Rottenspark, whose permission I got to write this. It's a lot different than that story in format/tone/plot but there are serious similarities (at least at first).

Like in RottenSpark's story, Mary-Margaret isn't Emma's mom, but will play a big part. Also, Emma did not grow up in the foster system, but with a biological mother who's an OC.

Not sure how often I will update, so please be patient. I'll let ya know if I'm stuck.

Thanks for reading!

Part 1

Part 1

I'm Meeting My Dad Today

The therapist said I should try writing things down. So look, I'm trying, but I doubt it's going to help anything.

I'm meeting my dad today. I know, right? You'd think I'd actually feel something.

He's Blond and Shorter Than I Imagined

And he cried. A lot.

I didn't.

Apparently, I Have To Live With Him

I'm sitting in the backseat of a car, headed for Maine, not willingly.

The social worker said it was "not negotiable." Also said it was "the best situation for me." WTF?

I don't know this guy. Met him yesterday. Living with him is a good idea…why?

I AM GOING TO DIE HERE

There is only ONE STREET in this town. Completely serious. The rest is cornfields.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

"That's the school," David said, pointing to one tiny building.

"Like, the high school?"

"No. For everyone."

All twelve grades. I am going to the same school as five-year-olds.

"Kill me now."

"What?" David said.

At Least I Have My Own Room

The house is nice. Really nice, actually. My room is bigger than the whole bottom floor of Mom's house.

I miss her. Also, hate her.

Three days here, and all I've done is hang around. What do people do in this town?

Should I be worried I haven't seen anyone but David?

Also, why was he living alone? He seems normal enough. Shouldn't he have like a girlfriend or something?

It's weird, just saying.

Living with him is very bad. He keeps trying to talk to me, but I'm not about it. Sorry, but you weren't in my life for seventeen years. You don't get to just be my dad.

Thought about running away, but pretty sure they'd just haul me back here. Plus, no civilization for possibly hundreds of miles.

Would die among corn and be found years later, rotting.

What David Looks Like

Blond. About 5'8". Handsome, in a 40-year-old kind of way.

I look more like him than Mom, for sure. Always wondered where the blond hair came from.

He's the sheriff, which I find hilarious.

I Got Out of the House, Finally

David went back to work today. It took him about 45 minutes to leave the house. He wouldn't stop asking if I'd be okay.

"I WILL BE COMPLETELY FINE," I finally said.

Without him hovering around, was much more relaxed. Finally could eat a bowl of cereal without being spied on.

For the record, I get it. I'm his kid. He didn't know I existed, and he's in shock or something. But I can't with his watching of my every move.

Alone, I did a little digging around. He's got a pretty extensive CD collection: Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Metallica. All of this was surprising. I took him for more of a country music guy. You'd understand if you saw him.

I made myself an omelet, then decided to go exploring. There was corn, and did I mention corn? Walked for an hour before I reached the one street with the stores and the high school. There was a diner, a post office, an antique shop, a library, and a gas station. THAT WAS EVERYTHING.

I wouldn't have minded hitting up the diner, but didn't bring money. Actually, don't have money. Must get job. (Where, though?)

I did get to see the first other person since coming here. One of the waitresses, about my age, was out on break.

"Hey," I said.

She looked me up and down. She had long brown hair and was super skinny, in a short skirt, leaning against the building and smoking a cigarette. "Hey."

"Can I get one of those?"

She gave me one, and we smoked together.

"What do people do around here?" I said.

"What do you mean?"

"For fun."

Instead of answering, she asked, "Who are you?"

"Emma. Uh, the sheriff's daughter."

"No way. I didn't know he had a kid."

"Yeah, well."

She looked me up and down.

"You look like him," she said.

"Thanks, I guess."

"Where have you been? All these years?"

"With my mom."

"Your mom…wait. Would that be Annie Green?"

"I really don't want to talk about it."

I hauled ass out of there.

Mom Would Never in a Million Years Go By "Annie"

Mom is Anne. Period.

Wonder how she's doing in prison.

David Got Home Before I Got Home

"Where were you? I was worried."

"Just went for a walk."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Why wouldn't I be?

I went upstairs and shut the door. Downstairs, I could hear him pacing.

David Really Can't Cook

David tried to make dinner tonight, more than just spaghetti or eggs. I was hanging around upstairs when my room started filling up with smoke.

"David?" I came into the kitchen, coughing.

He turned around, clutching something with oven mitts. Whatever it was, it was coal black. "Dinner's…ready," he said.

I just laughed. He set the black thing on the counter and started laughing, too. Then we both started coughing from all the smoke, and by the time we stopped there were tears running down both our faces.

School Supply Shopping With David

"What do you like better, three-ring binders or spiral-bound notebooks?"

"I literally could not care less."

First Day of School, Rethinking Running Away

Terrible, terrible, terrible.

There are nineteen people in the senior class. Nineteen.

No wonder that girl knew my mom. Everyone knows everyone. Could not escape them all staring at me. Also, had to stand up in front of class and introduce myself with a "fun fact."

"I'm the sheriff's kid," I said.

Here's the really hilarious part. There's this girl, this Regina. I know a queen bee when I see one. She comes marching up to me before homeroom starts.

"You must be Emma."

This girl is wearing all the brand names, shiny black hair straight out of a Pantene commercial.

"I must be."

"I'm the class president."

"Congratulations."

She frowns at me. The room's gone silent.

"Well," she says, eyeing me up, "I just wanted to say welcome to town." (Underlined to emphasize tone of pure hatred.)

The diner girl sat with me at lunch. I don't know how she got away with wearing a skirt that short to school.

"Just so you know," she said, "you probably shouldn't mess with Regina."

"Why not?"

"It's just easier. Trust me."

"I'm not afraid of her."

She gave me a weird look, hard to describe.

When we got back to our classroom, Regina came up to me and drawled, "So, I hear you're some kind of criminal."

Everyone turns and looks. My face is on fire.

"Well, I hear you're a bitch," I said, "so I guess we both heard right."

Isn't it amazing how fast I can make enemies?

So, yeah, I've been arrested

But how did Regina know that? And how much does she know?

And can I please not have to live here?

David tries to talk to me, fails

"How was school?"

How has David survived all these years? He'd managed to cook a box of mashed potatoes into a solid block.

"Emma?"

"So awesome."

He stared while I fled upstairs.

Outside my bedroom door: "I'm sorry it went badly."

Didn't respond. He's still pacing downstairs while I write this.

Trying to understand David's life

Things I know about David so far: blond, sheriff, middle-aged, quiet, nice, lives alone, likes hard rock. Managed to have a kid for 17 years and not know it.

Funny thing is, I can't even picture him with Mom. Guys she likes have tended to be assholes.

I don't understand either of my parents. If they were involved enough to make a baby, wouldn't David have checked up on her at least once after she left town?

Well, officially failing after just one week

English teacher handed out surprise quiz on Red Badge of Courage in second period. Tried to BS my way through it but no luck.

The teacher said I could either take the failing grade or do a paper on the Civil War for extra credit. Decided to do the extra credit because failing after one week would be bad even for me.

Tried to do research that night, but David's ancient computer couldn't even load Wikipedia.

"Sorry," he said. "I never really needed one. The library has computers."

Got excited about having somewhere to go this weekend, before getting depressed because it's the library.

Have to start making actual friends or will not survive much longer.

Scary stalker woman at the library

The library is one dinky room that smells like old socks.

Was sitting at one of the computers, a big box hardly better than David's, when I noticed this woman lurking around. She's standing behind one of the shelves staring at me through a gap in the books.

Tried to ignore her, but she kept staring. I couldn't see her very well through the books but she looked youngish, with dark hair.

Finally, I got up.

"Can I help you?"

She burst into tears, burying her face in her hands. I stood there, frozen.

When the woman looked up, her face was exactly like Mom's.

Next thing I know I'm running out the door.

Who the hell is this woman?

Mom's cousin? Sister?

My aunt?

Have I lived my whole life with an aunt?

David's downstairs, on the phone

"I'm so sorry, Mary-Margaret. I was going to tell you." Pause. "Because I needed time." Pause. "I don't think that's a good idea. Mary-Margaret, please. Let me talk to her first."

David tries to talk to me, fails

David made pancakes for breakfast, burnt on the outside and liquid on the inside. We sat in silence.

"Um," he says.

"Mom has a sister."

He stared at me for a long moment, in that way he does, like he's trying to memorize me. "Yes."

"My aunt."

"Yes."

"She lives in town?"

"Emma—

I'm out the door before I can think.

I'm just done with all of it

I just want to start over, somewhere else, without any of this complicated shit.