So I posted this story under gabrielleizzy45, but my account was compromised so I am republishing this again.

Realizations

Present

Emma woke up to singing.

Cracking an eye open, Emma groaned and pulled a pillow over her head. That was the last thing she needed, a pleasant Mary Margaret twirling around the room while she made pancakes. Emma swore that woman could make a bird come and sit on her finger if she tried to.

"Up, up, up," Mary Margaret called out, having obviously heard the bed creak when Emma had woken up. "David wants to go hiking today," she explained, her voice taking on a soft quality when she spoke of her fiancé even from upstairs.

"And I have to go why?" Emma asked, not making a move to get out of bed. She had been having such a pleasant dream before her roommate woke her up. Of course it starred a guy she now despised, but she had to at least admit he was always a gorgeous jerk.

"Anna and Elsa texted this morning and said they were coming too," Mary Margaret answered, referring to the sisters that were visiting for the week. Emma considered Elsa to be one of her closest friends and they didn't often get to see each other since they lived in Alaska. "Knew it," the brunette muttered when she saw Emma padding down the stairs.

Emma didn't say anything in return, just walked into the kitchen of the loft and heavily sat down in the chair. "I don't know if I'll be able to make it that far," Emma reasoned, asserting her statement with a large yawn. Her head was pounding and she felt like she had only been asleep a few hours at most. "Maybe I shouldn't have had that last drink last night."

"Speaking of that, what time did you get home last night?" Mary Margaret asked, sliding a plate of pancakes to Emma as she sat down across from her. Emma gave her a look of gratitude for the perfect hangover food before she began to dig in. "I left around nine to watch a movie with David and got back to the loft at midnight and you weren't back yet."

"Oh," Emma muttered, her brow furrowing as she thought. Everything had been rather fuzzy last night, but she usually remembered getting home. "I assumed you were the one who helped me home last night."

Mary Margaret just shook her head and warily eyed Emma as she took a sip of tea. "Someone probably had to help you back. When I left you were just starting a drinking contest with Killian. And it looked like you might have been able to beat him this time," she explained, not noticing the widening of Emma's eyes. Because she had been sure that and everything that happened after that had been part of her dream… "Emma, you know I don't think it is a good idea to go out drinking with Killian. I know that you say you have gotten over it enough to deal with it, but imagine how upset you'd be if something happened between the two of you when your inhibitions were lowered."

Emma frowned down at her plate, wishing Mary Margaret would stop lecturing her like she was her mother or something. Although she knew it wasn't the best idea, Emma did spend more time with Killian than she'd like to admit. As long as she didn't acknowledge it the situation would be fine. They were just back to being casual acquaintances who ran into each other quite often, nothing more than that anymore. But of course leave it to the schoolteacher to speak the truth.

"Emma he hasn't convinced you to change your mind, has he?" Mary Margaret asked, fixing Emma with a pointed look. "You know I would be the last person to judge you if you decided to get back,"

"Killian?" Emma interrupted before Mary Margaret could finish her statement, wincing as her voice too loud for her own ears. She had heard the same speech from her friend many times and always chose to ignore it. "The only things we say to each other is him coming onto me and me turning him down over and over again," she lied, knowing that they had grown out of those shallow conservations almost two years ago.

Cocking a knowing eyebrow, Mary Margaret ate another forkful of pancakes. "When I left the two of you were debating whether black or red leather was superior."

Wait, that had been the beginning of her dream, right? Including everything that came after it…But, if it was all a dream, why was it becoming clearer with every passing second as the fog cleared in her head. It was becoming more like memories than a dream, but there was no way she would let that happen in real life, right?

Pancakes forgotten, Emma stood straight up, ignoring her roommates questions about what she was doing. This could not be happening. No, it had to have just been a dream. Perhaps she was still asleep and dreaming. Because she hated Killian now. She just had to check to make sure the ending to her dream wasn't real. Leaving Mary Margaret at the table, Emma bolted up the stairs to her bedroom, her eyes searching the messy end table next to her bed. "Thank God," she whispered when the offending piece of jewelry wasn't there or on her person. Maybe she and Killian had gotten drunk and kissed last night, but at least she knew they hadn't driven to Boston and done something really stupid that they'd both regret.

Just as she was letting herself relax and laugh about how she would never let that happen, she noticed something sparkling out of the corner of her eye on her bed. Pushing back the covers a bit so it was fully visible, Emma mentally swore as she saw the ring sitting on her bed, appearing innocent against her white sheets. Face pale, Emma reached down and gingerly picked up the ring to examine it. Yes, she had seen this ring before, a few months ago. It was that stupid ring that Killian had shown her when he had gotten really drunk and was sitting in a jail cell. He had pulled it out of his pocket, explaining that it was his mother's wedding ring and how he had found it in his brother's house after he had died. That he still carried it around with him all the time because it was all he had left of his mother and would never give it to someone unless he knew she was "the one". It was still too painful to think about what had come next.

"No," Emma whispered again, biting her lip as she curled her hand into a fist around the ring. Without a second thought she rushed down to the kitchen and just stood in front of her friend, holding her clenched fist out like she was scared of it.

"Emma," Mary Margaret said, her voice breaking the silence that had developed as she took in Emma's white face and wide eyes.

"What's this?" Emma asked, even though she already knew the answer, her throat dry as she revealed the sparkling diamond ring in her palm to Mary Margaret. She could barely stand to touch it and thrust her hand towards her friend.

Eyes wide and doe like, Mary Margaret picked up the ring and examined it for a few long moments before speaking. "A wedding ring?" she guessed, looking at the blonde who just nodded in response.

…

2 Years Ago

Emma felt awkward standing in the bar by herself. She had just moved to Storybrooke after months of prodding by her best friend Mary Margaret. After the few hours it had taken to unpack the few belongings she owned in the new loft she now shared with her friend, she had decided to meet her new roommate at the bar.

"Emma!" the aforementioned woman called out, her brown eyes sparkling as she walked towards the blonde, towing an attractive blonde man behind her. "I'd like you to officially meet David," she announced.

"It's nice to see you in person," David said, referencing the many times they had spoken while Mary Margaret and Emma were skyping. "Mary Margaret here hasn't stopped talking about how excited she is since you agreed to move here last week," he finished, referencing to Emma's spur of the moment decision to leave behind her life in Boston after she had a particularly bad experience at her job as a bail bondsperson.

"What's with everyone in this town?" Emma asked, making a joke after David had pulled her in for a hug. Apparently he was a hugger. "Just because the town is called Storybrooke doesn't mean that you have to name the bar after Alice in Wonderland."

Mary Margaret just giggled in response, clearly already having had a few drinks. "Isn't the town just adorable?" she asked, pulling her friend and boyfriend back over towards the bar where a few people stood. "I'm so glad I got that teaching job here after those terrible few years in New York."

Emma smiled, glad that her friend was having such a great life now. They had met when Emma was 20 and right out of prison. Mary Margaret had been working as a waitress to support herself through college and Emma had thankfully landed the job at the restaurant as well. Almost immediately they had clicked and Emma had moved in with the pixie haired woman after just a few weeks of knowing each other, glad to leave behind the dingy hotel room she had been camping out in. Life had continued as such for two years until Mary Margaret had landed the aforementioned job in New York. Not long after Mary Margaret left Emma had just decided to become a bail bondsperson in Boston and they had gone their separate ways. Which is why Emma was surprised that her friend had kept in contact with her, occasionally visiting and maintaining their close relationship. That had gone on as usual until last year when Mary Margaret had suddenly moved to the small town in Maine, found a gorgeous boyfriend, and claimed that Emma must move here too. And, not long after her 26th birthday, Emma did take her up on her offer and move here. After all she already had a job nailed down as a deputy under David, the sheriff, and what did she have to lose? She didn't really have any other friends or family at all, so why not take a chance and move to Maine of all places.

Halfheartedly listening to the conversation around her and providing basic answers to questions thrown at her, Emma glanced around the crowded bar. For a small town there sure seemed to be a lot of people around the same age as her, perhaps even potential friends.

"Emma, I'd like you to meet Ruby," Mary Margaret announced, practically squealing as she threw an arm around the scantily clad brunette. "She works at this diner in town that I'm sure you'll go to all the time," she continued talking with Ruby for several minutes as Emma smiled, figuring from the few comments that Ruby shared that they would actually get along quite well.

It went on like that for what seemed like forever, Mary Margaret or David introducing her to another friendly person. Everyone seemed so nice and unique, but Emma wasn't sure if she would be able to keep all the names straight. There was an Ariel, an Eric, an Ashley, an Anna, an Alice, a Leroy, a Will, and a Belle, or was it Lacey? Perhaps after a few weeks she would remember the names…if she decided to stay that long. Emma wasn't really a people person, so after two hours she excused herself for a few minutes, saying she had to go get some air.

Letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Emma relished the cold air hitting her face as she stepped out of the crowded bar. "This is more like it," she whispered to herself as she leaned back against the brick wall and stared at the dark sky.

She scarcely had two more seconds to herself before she felt a hand reach out wrap around her waist. Habitually flinching away, she turned and faced whoever had dared to touch her, a scowl on her face.

"What the hell?" she hissed at the creeper who had touched her. Guys like that were part of the reason she had left Boston, but apparently annoying guys were present in Storybrooke as well.

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay, love," the man said with an attractive lilt to his voice. Maybe he was used to his accent working on most women, but Emma sure as hell wasn't letting it sway her.

"I was before you came up," she said, keeping her voice cold as she glanced up at the man. He was attractive, she'd give him that. That bone structure wasn't something you could just buy and, judging by the glint in his blue eyes, he knew it.

A cocky smile filled his face as he spoke again. "Well it could be better," he announced, having the audacity to put out a hand that she promptly swatted away. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before. I'm Killian Jones," he finished, clearly undeterred by her actions.

"I'm here with some friends," Emma explained, hoping he would finally get the hint and leave her alone. "I don't really want to be hit on by strangers tonight."

"Well why don't we rectify that stranger situation as I buy you a drink," he suggested, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "And you can tell me your name."

Knowing she would regret this later, Emma sighed in annoyance and spoke up. "Emma Swan," she announced, knowing that she'd have to get to know him eventually in this small town. "And no to the drink."

"A beautiful swan," he added, moving a bit closer to her. "How fitting of a name for you that is. Though I really doubt you ever had an ugly duckling phase…"

"That wasn't very creative, I've heard that a million times, I expected more of you," Emma interrupted, smirking as he reached up and itched behind his ear. She had to give this guy credit; he wasn't detoured by her attitude. Perhaps if she was here for a while she'd give him a chance, he was awfully pretty…

A guffaw escaping his lips, a devilish smile filled his lips. "Oh, I'll show you," he whispered before he suddenly dove in, capturing her lips with his as his hands fell to her waist.

So surprised by his bold reaction, it took her a few moments to gather her bearings. Here she was, in the back of a bar when this strange man had come up to her and flirted and now he had the audacity to kiss her. Ignoring the gut reaction to kiss him back, Emma pulled her head back as she pushed on his shoulders, effectively maneuvering away from him.

"You're disgusting," Emma hissed, wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand. "What do you think I am," she finished, narrowing her eyes at Killian and putting her hands on her hips.

Wide eyed and the picture of innocence, Killian took another step back. "Just wanted to have a bit of fun, love," he answered, acting as if she had done something wrong. "Why don't we go back inside and have a few drinks and get to know each other a bit more?"

"Dirty pirate," Emma huffed, not wanting to put up with him anymore. The hot inside of the bar seemed a lot more pleasurable than the cool air outside now that he was there too.

Gathering her wits, she pushed him back slightly into the brick wall of the bar before walking back into the bar, not even looking back to see his response.

Thank you so much. Please review and enjoy!

Gabrielle