Ch. 1

She lit a fresh cigarette, in order to pass the time with ease, on her journey to Storybrooke. The single burning ember, glowing with solace and a touch of cancer, brought no answers to what her new home would have in store for her. She often thought about it as a new beginning, but other times she thought of this small town as a punishment for her failings as a musician, an artist, a writer, and most of all, an adult. She was lucky to have a place to fall back on, no matter how small or quaint it was, because she knew that Boston had no place for her anymore. She was always told, by her mother, to follow what she believed in, and happiness would come to her. She believed in the freedom of her mind, but her dreams only brought her neck deep into debt, abandoned by her friends, and ultimately into the back seat of a cab, on her way to Maine. For the most part, Catherina and the cab driver rode in silence. Occasionally, the driver asked her questions, such as "What brings you to Maine this time of year?" and "Is that your natural hair color?" in an attempt to make small talk. However, Catherina had too many thoughts, to many mysteries, plaguing her mind to give an answer without seeming rude. So she settled for one-worded answers that were clipped, and equally satisfying.

Her mind was occupied, not only by Storybrooke and its potential, but also the people that resided there. They all seemed to bear an unknown secret, and treated her as an outsider, even as a threat, on her last visit to Storybrooke. She ventured there as a journalist, employed at the time by an average-sized newspaper company in the outskirts of Boston, and was assigned with the "riveting" task of reporting the endeavors of this ancient town. She had no idea why they sent her to this barren, yet charming, town. Perhaps they wished to get her out of their hair for a few days, but in the end it didn't matter. Eventually she was fired after her employer discovered that her Bachelor's degree in English Composition was a lie. She never attended college, so she figured that her best chance of getting a job in a thriving city was to pretend that she did. Obviously, that notion was an ignorant one, and as a result, she will be discredited in her resume when she tries to seek another job. Her mother was unwilling to help due to the fact that, not only did she struggle with the same financial needs as Catherina, but the two had hardly spoken since they parted ways. Things would have been easier, had Catherina had a father to offer support, but that was never the case. Things were definitely taking a turn for the worse, and she decided that it was time to leave the city that brought all of her misfortune.

Luckily, her job as a "journalist" paid off in at least one way. During her stay in Storybrooke, she met a woman who was not so keen to shunning Catherina. Her name was Ruby; a tall, young woman who worked at the local diner and dressed very provocatively. Surprisingly, this was one of the reasons that they got on so well. They were both ostracized from the tiny community that gave Storybrooke such a welcoming atmosphere, caustically speaking. As they got to know each other, despite Catherina only visiting briefly, they found that they weren't as different from each other as they were the people of Storybrooke, and they promised to keep in touch when Catherina left town. Two weeks later, when Catherina lost her job, Ruby offered a place to stay and a job to work. Ruby tried to justify her actions by saying that she needed some help paying bills, but in reality, Ruby was a whole-hearted, kind individual who was always willing to help a friend.

Her cigarette had burned out long ago, neglected by Catherina as she stared out the car window, immersed in her own musings. She relit the portion that remained just as they were entering the city limits of Storybrooke.

"Have we arrived already?" Catherina asked, surprised at their speedy trip.

"Yes ma'am. We have been driving for four hours though. I thought you would have noticed." The driver said, obviously shocked at her remark. Apparently her thoughts had brought her further away than she had realized. As the driver pulled into town, she was unimpressed by the architecture of the small buildings that now surrounded her. They all had a dainty design, each shop bustling with flowers, brightly colored paint, and smiling people. This town was unlike her old lifestyle, and she was unsure whether she cared for this new comfort or despised it. She was used to crowded cities, booming concerts, speedy businessmen, and crime rates through the roof. The ordinary, friendly ambience that enveloped Storybrooke was suffocating.

As she rode down Main Street, still wet from the recent rainfall, the citizens of Storybrooke all turned their heads towards Catherina. She still had her window cracked after throwing out the remains of her cigarette, and she could hear the eerie silence that washed over the town as she arrived. She was unsure if they recognized her from her last visit, or if they treated all newcomers this way, but she had a heavy feeling that she was unwelcome in this neighborly town. Granny's, the only diner in town, was only two blocks away, but she couldn't get there fast enough. Although her new job awaited her at this lonely diner, she didn't think it was a good idea to be serving customers that hated her.

People were scattered along the sidewalks, and they all paused to stare as Catherina's cab cruised by, marveling at the new inhabitant. She felt uneasy, waiting for them to attack the car at any moment. What could possibly be so interesting about a low-life, failing artist in the back seat of a cab? It's my hair. She thought. I've heard people making fun of gingers before, but these people look like they actually think I will steal their soul. She gawked at the wide-eyed children, wondering if there was something on her face that was terrifying or hilarious, unaware that she was being watched from the window of the town pawn shop. However, this figure was not gazing at her out of fear. Before she could turn her head in its direction, the figure was gone, having retreated behind a thick curtain.

She finally arrived at Granny's, eager to pay the driver and hop out of the car to avoid as much sneering as possible. She lugged her suitcase out of the car, and looked up at her new home. It wasn't anything truly impressive, but she didn't expect much in the first place. It was a small building, that was originally built to be a house, but it had been renovated into a small eatery and coffee shop. It had a bright baby blue paint with white trim, and was overrun with tangled vines. What would have been a front yard was transformed into a large patio, perhaps for the days when the weather wasn't so cold and dreary, and customers could enjoy eating outside. Regardless of Granny's dingy structure, it wasn't too shabby compared to the rest of Storybrooke.

"Cat!" A voice squealed, making her jump in surprise. Ruby came running out of the diner, still clad in her sexy uniform, perhaps a little too sexy. Ruby caught Catherina in a tight hug, as if they hadn't seen each other in ages.

"Ruby, it's so nice to see you!" Catherina said, returning her new friend's embrace. She couldn't be more grateful for her hospitality and kindness, and she only hoped that she could somehow return the favor.

"How was the trip?" Ruby asked.

"It was uneventful, more or less. My driver seemed a little scared of me, and of this town." Catherina chuckled, remembering the wide eyes of her cabbie as they arrived in Storybrooke, and he seemed relieved when he had received his pay as his farewell.

"Why was he so freaked out? It's not like we're going to bite his head off!" Ruby laughed.

"I feel like some of your friends wanted to, the way they were staring at me." Cat said nervously. "I don't think they like new people."

"Come on, they're just not used to change. Things have always been this way for, well, as long as I can remember." Ruby said timidly. Her eyes darted back and forth, as if something was on her mind that she couldn't quite remember. She hated the feeling, not being able to remember her own childhood. Then again, everyone in Storybrooke was the same way, for some unexplained reason.

"Well, it looks like they're going to have to get used to me." Cat grinned, mischief flashing in her eyes. "I suggest that we get to work."

Ruby flashed her perfect, pearly white teeth and jumped up and down in excitement, catching the interest of two sleazy men standing outside of Granny's. Cat shot them a glare, hopefully striking some form of fear into their hearts, and they averted their perverted gazes quickly. Cat turned back to Ruby just in time to have her hand grabbed and her whole body dragged up the steps of the diner.

"You'll love it here! I'm gonna teach you everything I know, show you the whole town, and even the woods! We're going to have so much fun!" Ruby squealed, still lugging Cat and her suitcase up the steps and into the diner. Cat appreciated Ruby's enthusiasm, but she didn't know if she could keep up the pace that Ruby was. They entered the diner in a rush, and they both stopped in their tracks at the door. Everyone had turned to stare, the same eerie silence enveloping the room. Men and women, they all looked the same, ordinary and boring. However, they seemed to all carry a unique atmosphere with them. Cat couldn't figure out if that was strange, or if the fact that they all turned their heads towards her at the same time was even stranger. Ruby shot her a reassuring look, but Cat didn't feel any better about the situation, and she knew that it was going to be harder to fit in than she thought.

"Screw off!" Ruby snapped. At that moment, everyone in the diner came to their senses and turned back to their own business, leaving Cat and Ruby to start their new task in peace. Cat had worked in food service before, but in places like Mcdonald's or Burger King. She had never been a waitress before, and frankly, she thought she might be a little too clumsy for the job. "Now that that's settled, let's get you in uniform missy!" Ruby smirked, excited to finally have some company that wasn't her Granny.

Ruby reached under the counter and lifted out a light blue denim dress with pockets on the breasts, as well as a fresh white apron, which Cat didn't expect to stay white for very long. The dress seemed a little too short, despite her petit figure, but she was glad that is wasn't as revealing as Ruby's attire.

"Go ahead and go change, I'll wait here. The bathroom is down that hallway over there." Ruby pointed, and Cat nodded in understanding. She made her way towards the bathroom door just as it flew open, and a tall woman with short hair stepped out.

"Pardon me." The woman said curtly. She was a terrifying woman, not ugly, but intimidating. She was rather beautiful, but her dark presence only shot surprise and fear towards Cat's direction. "Have I seen you around here before?"

"Uh-erm, no. I'm new in town." Cat stammered. The woman's eyes narrowed, both in surprise and loathing.

"Well, then I suppose that you'll make yourself comfortable here." The woman said sharply, and somewhat sarcastically. "Oh, and next time, watch where you're going."

Cat opened her mouth to argue, but the woman pushed past her before she could protest. She stood there in shock, and she wondered what was stuck up that woman's rear end. She shook her head and stepped into the small bathroom. She slipped out of her clothes, occasionally bumping an elbow or a hip on the counter, and Cat hissed. The bathroom was too small for her, and she was a small person. She wondered how a larger person could even get through the door. The walls had ugly stains on them, and the sink and toilet somewhat matched. The toilet and the sink were facing each other, not even a foot apart, which explained why Cat was having so much trouble getting into uniform. When she finally slipped into the dress, she sighed in frustration. It was nearly too short, and it squeezed her thighs, hips, and chest area in an uncomfortable way. Clothes were usually never too small for Cat, so she surmised that they were made this way, perhaps to provoke larger tips. She didn't like the idea, and she was very self-conscious about her appearance, but she knew that this job was what she needed to get back on her feet, and she would do whatever it took. She looked at her face in the mirror, and her large blue eyes seemed intimidating in contrast to her small and angular face. Her face was filled with kindness, but also an unmistakable mask of mistrust. She tried to reassure herself that the people around her had good intentions, and she held her chin up to her reflection before picking up her belongings, including her suitcase, and stepping out the door towards her future.

Naturally, she struggled out of the bathroom, her clothes in one hand and her apron in the other. She walked a little stiffly as she tried to hide her rising hemline and her plunging neckline. She hated it, having people stare at her like she was a piece of meat. However, she knew that when she got to know the regular customers, some of the awkwardness would dissipate.

"There you are, I was beginning to think that you had run off." Ruby said sarcastically as she rounded the corner of the bar. "Now we can get some real work done."

The majority of that day was spent in the diner, the dreary light and warm glow from the lights giving Granny's an odd atmosphere. Ruby trained Cat throughout the day, showing her the nooks and crannies of the store, and also showing her how to take orders. The regular customers seemed hesitant to let Cat take their order, but eventually they bitterly obliged. After she got the hang of being in food service again, talking to customers became easier to handle, and in return, the residents treated her with less hostility. Later that afternoon, Cat had a glazed look over her eyes and she dazed off into her own thoughts. She thought of how her new home wouldn't be so bad, and perhaps it would be better than the shithole she came from. She was grateful for the fact that Ruby had welcomed her so openly, offered her a job, a place to sleep, and food to eat. However, she could not get over the strange feeling that the town gave her. It was as if the town, and everyone in it, was ancient and forgotten. The streets were filled with people on routine, it seemed like everything they did was the same as what they did the day before. For years these people have been living under continuity, and they were aware that nothing could change for the better. Dogs were walked, coffee was served, and dreams were forgotten.

"Cat!" Ruby said, bringing her out of her stupor. There was concern written in Ruby's eyes, obviously worried about Cat's strange behavior.

"Yes! Sorry, what is it?" Cat exclaimed, breathing heavily, and a hint of her Scottish accent surfaced without warning. Ruby's eyes widened, and she looked like she would burst with laughter.

"Whoa, whoa! What was that? Faking an accent isn't sexy, Cat!" Ruby chucked, trying to hold back any further giggling, and Cat blushed.

"N-no. My mom was from Scotland, and she rubbed off on me, being around her so much. I haven't seen her in a long time, but I guess she still rears her ugly head in me sometimes." Cat stammered, her tone suddenly becoming more serious without intention. Ruby's smile disappeared, and she tilted her head in worry and confusion.

"Do you miss her?" she asked curiously.

"Sometimes." Cat said, and she regretted bringing up the subject of her mother.

"Well, don't you worry, you'll feel like family with me and Granny! She was a pretty good mother, you know." Ruby smiled, and Cat was thankful for her optimistic attitude, always bringing out the best in everyone. "Anyways, back to tasks at hand, I need you to go confirm an order for me really fast. I forgot to ask him whether or not he wanted a half or full order of fries, and I'm counting the register right now. Table eight." Ruby said as she started rifling through the stack of dollar bills and receipts that were stuffed into the register.

"Right, shouldn't take too long." Cat said nervously. "S-Sorry about that, back in a jiff." She grinned, and Ruby chuckled at her insecurity. Cat turned around and started to stride through the diner, slowly becoming more confident, until she realized that she had no idea where the bloody hell table eight was. She cursed under her breath as she stopped suddenly, banging her toe on the leg of a chair, and looking around awkwardly. She could only imagine what her episode probably looked like to the people in the diner, but no one seemed to notice, and Cat hoped that they weren't just pretending. She pulled out a small slip of paper that Ruby had given her at the beginning of the day, and she unfolded it to reveal a chart of tables and their numbers that matched Granny's.

She counted her steps through the diner, following the small chart until she stood in front of table eight. Her eyes darted up, first towards the ceiling in frustration, then towards the ground. Although she was irked by her lack of ability to memorize small things, such as a group of tables with numbers on them, she never looked at the table or its occupant. She breathed heavily in irritation as her knee collided with yet another chair, and she cursed her luck yet again, wanting the day to end.Finally, she decided to straighten herself up, despite the sharp pain and bruising in her knee, and she made her way to table eight.

As she caught the first glimpse of the lonely figure sitting at this table, tunnel vision threatened to take over her sight. Blackness enveloped the corners of her eyes, and all she could see was the shape of a person. The figure was dark, and had an even stranger presence than the other citizens of Storybrooke seemed to possess. It felt evil and maleficent, and had they ability to attract her and drive her away at the same time. She gulped down a lump in her throat, unable to move towards this ghastly man. Before she could stand there in astonishment any longer, he turned to her and spoke.

"Excuse me." The Scottish accent struck her back, and she immediately recognized its origin, Glasgow; the same town that her mother grew up in. "I'm waiting on an order, and I am feeling rather peckish, dearie."

"Oh! Y-yes, did you want a half order of fries or a full order?" Cat said awkwardly, scratching her arm nervously as the man looked her up and down, and she felt even more insecure as she was being scrutinized. The man took a deep breath, leaning back slightly against the booth to look her straight in the face. His eyes were a deep golden brown, and the lines around them only added to their depth. Cat's eyes wandered from his to scan his face, which was aged, but still retained a light golden color. The grey stubble on his chin added a dark shadow to his face, contributing to his dark presence as a whole. His hair was longer than a normal middle aged man would have, and it was a golden brown, much like his skin, with hints of grey threatening to shine through. His suit was way too classy for the town diner, freshly pressed and well-tailored to his body. She caught herself admiring his looks, despite his age, and she found his presence to be both threatening and intriguing.

"I'm sorry, did you not understand?" The man snapped, quickly bringing her gaze away from his body and back to her eyes. "I do believe I said half." She had not realized that this man, that had caught her attention so intensely, had been trying to speak to her the entire time. Cat blushed with embarrassment and gave the man a slight nod, writing on her notepad and turning to walk away.

"If you're going to make it in this town, you'd better learn to do your job a little better, dearie." The man called after her. Rage flared through Cat's veins at this crude comment, and she no longer found him attractive after catching a glimpse of his attitude. She threw the notepad on the counter for the cook, and stormed over to Ruby, fuming with irritation.

"Whoa, what's your problem?" Ruby asked, grimacing at Cat's tantrum.

"Nothing." Cat murmured. She wanted to complain to Ruby about her latest customer, but she knew that it was partially her fault. After all, she was goggling over him instead of listening to his request, but he didn't have to be so rude about it.

"Cat got your tongue?" Ruby chuckled. "Or maybe Gold does?"

"What?" Cat asked, confused by the strange remark.

"You seem to be having a little trouble with Gold over there. He looked pretty pissed, what happened?" Ruby asked. Ruby had heard the whole conversation between the two strangers, but she thought she would humor herself and act like she didn't know.

"What, is that his name? Kind of pathetic if you ask me. Someone with a name like that should really have better manners!" Cat scowled, annoyance rising in her again. Ruby couldn't contain her laughter, and she busted out laughing, catching the attention of the diners, including Gold.

"You should really hear yourself right now!" Ruby snickered. "He was giving you an answer, but you just stood there looking like you forgot how to talk!" Ruby started to imitate Cat's blank stare, with her mouth hanging open, and a dumbfounded expression on her face. Cat picked up an abandoned newspaper, rolled it into a tube, and repeatedly whacked Ruby with it out of embarrassment. "Hey!" Ruby squealed, more out of amusement than annoyance. Cat threw down the newspaper and walked towards the kitchen in a fit, leaving Ruby chuckling, along with a few ignorant customers. However, when Gold's food was ready and set on the counter to be taken out, Cat froze in place.

She turned to Ruby. "Will you please take this for me?" she asked in a slightly desperate tone. Ruby smirked and shook her head.

"On normal circumstances, I would. However, considering the fact that you just beat me with the Storybrooke Daily, I think I'll let you take this one." Ruby winked, and Cat flushed with irritation. "Besides, it's not like you can walk away from any customer that you don't like."

Cat grimaced, but nodded her head hesitantly in agreement. She turned slowly on her heels to face him across the room. He was fiddling with the end of his cane, with mischief on his face, but she could see innocence in his eyes from where she was standing. Cat hoped that her second encounter with Mr. Gold wouldn't be as unpleasant as the last one. She picked up his food, and strode quickly to his table, confidence showing in her steps. Her steps became quicker and more defiant, and she was only a few feet from him now. She paid no mind to the boot making its way in front of her, eyes glued to her goal, until she was suddenly flying through the air. The room span, her breath was caught in her throat, and she came crashing to the floor louder than she thought possible. The bag of food slipped on the floor, but still remained intact. Although the food was alright, Cat was not. She was once again dumbfounded, sprawled on the floor with her skirt displaced up her thighs and her shirt pulled down by the fall. There was laughter and whistling all around her, applauding the obese, perverted man that had tripped her as well as for her flashy show.

Cat didn't dare get up quite yet, but she looked up when she saw the end of a cane. Gold, in all of his glory and darkness, was smirking over her at his internal victory. He hadn't been the one to trip her, for sure, but she knew that he felt as if a point was proven. His hair flicked around his face, in a golden mess that only taunted her. He extended a hand, and Cat eagerly reached to grab it, grateful for his offer of truce. However, Gold slipped his hand to the side, and instead picked up his sack of greasy food. He gave her one last wink before walking away and out of the door.