It was a cold rainy night, when the door of The Rabbit Hole opened. The cold damp air rushed though the door as a brunette woman rushed in to get out of the rain. Once in the bar the olive skinned woman brushed off the drops of rain that still lingered on her full length jacket. The brunette woman started her walk over to the bar for a few drinks after a long day at work. She sat in the lone seat that the end of the long bar, and asked for her usual as the bartender simply nodded his head and started to make the brunette her drink that consisted of 1 part apple brandy, 1 part cola, and 1 part ginger ale. As the bartender finished her drink, he approached the brunette and softly said
"1 Jersey Thunder, Madam Mayor"
"Thank you Neal" She softly said back
"Another rough week Regina?" A female voice asked
The brunette turned her head to find her friend Kathryn. Kathryn sat next to the brunette and ordered the same thing as her. Once she was given the drink she brought it up to her lips and took a healthy sip, than asked
"Any luck in finding her yet?" The brunette just shook her head no with a gulp of drink. "Its been 2 years, 2 years with no word, e-mail, or letters Regina." Kathryn said
"I know," Regina pauses while her finger ran across the lip of her glass,
"She told me she would come back, that she still loves me."
"When did she tell you that?" Kathryn asked surprised by this new information bring shared "The only letter I got from her," Regina said, "And no before you ask there was no return address." She frowned The blonde was shocked by the news she just heard
The door opened to a small apartment when two woman walked in, one sporting a pixie hair cut, a full length skirt and a light powder blue sweater, the other with flowing blonde hair that was pulled back into a tight bun, wearing a white tank top and a pair of jeans that made it seem like they were painted onto her body.
"Emma, I'm so glad your back!" The pixie hair woman said ash she sat down a big green duffel that was overly stuffed.
"Thanks Mary Margaret, I'm happy to be back too. No one knows where i have been right?" She asked while sitting down the rest of her belongings.
"I haven't said a word, not even to her." Mary Margaret explained with soft eyes. "Shes been so distraught Emma. She really misses you. Why haven't you told her about being a Marine?"
"I didn't want her to worry if i got shipped back out," The blonde stated "I had two and a half years left on my contract when we started talking."
"MOM!" A voice interrupted, as the sound of what seemed to be a stampede coming down the stairs from the loft. "Your finally home!" Henry said as he crashed into Emma
"Yeah kid, I'm finally home!" Emma gasped out while throwing her arms around her son.
"Seems like someone missed you while you were gone Em." Ruby said while slowly making her way down those same stairs Henry ran from.
"RUBES!" Emma yelled. Ruby walked over and slung her arms around Emma squishing Henry between them.
"Hey Em, do you feel something?" The red head said with a smirk on her face.
"Um guys..." A muffled sound came from between them.
"Do I feel anything? No I mean I do have this feeling like something is poking at me..." Emma said jokingly
"Oh come one guys, your squishing me!" Henry attempted to yell.
"Oh hey Henry, I didn't see you there." Ruby said as she stepped back to allow him to move freely now. Henry just shook his head as he smiled
"Hey Rubes, can we talk real quick?" Emma asked hooking her thumb over her shoulder
"Sure Em." She replied They walked over to the kitchen area in Mary Margaret's apartment
"Thanks for watching Henry while I was gone Rubes. It really means a lot to me." Emma said.
"Sure thing Em! You know I have your back and his! You two and Granny are the only family I have." Ruby explained with a smile, "Have you talked to Regina yet?"
"I haven't been able to for two years, I'm sure she hates me by now." Emma responded with her head down, "She doesn't know where I have been or that I am...was a Marine."
"EMMA! You never told her?" Ruby gasped
"I was about to but that's when I got the call and had to leave." She explained "I had just come back from my last tour when I came to visit you and Granny here when I met Regina."
"And you didn't think they would ship you right back out like that." Ruby said as Emma nodded.
"I wanted to write her but it was really bad over there this time Rubes," Emma pauses to look over at Henry who is playing with Mary Margaret "I saw four of my brothers die right in front of me." Emma whispered
"I'm so sorry Emma," Ruby said softly
"This is it Rubes, I cant do that anymore. I'm done being a Marine, its time for me to get a real job and be a mother to Henry." She said.
"Which speaking of, remember that favor you asked for last month?" Ruby smiled
"Yeah."
"All that needs to be done is for you to sign the papers, but Em, You never told me why you wanted to buy The Rabbit Hole." Ruby said.
Emma just smiled at the memory and said,
"That's where we first met."
There Regina and Kathryn sat at the bar now working on their fourth glass of Jersey Thunder. Each time it being stronger than the last. They sat there talking about work to keep Regina's mind off of Emma. If just for the time being. The bar was loud, people coming and going. Regina only coming here because it was where she first met Emma, she turned to Kathryn and told her she reserved a seat over in the corner. There was a small couch under a single lite lamp that was in the ceiling. As they moved over to their new seats, Emma and Ruby walked in, trying to make their way to the bar. It was a busy night at The Rabbit Hole. They made it to the bar finally after trying to move through the pack bar, where they asked for the manager, who came out and showed them to the back. The owner had all the paper work ready for Emma to sign on his desk. They talked it over for a few minutes. Than he handed her a pen and asked
"Ready to own your new bar ?"
"Please just call me Emma" She said as she took the pen and signed on each page where needed.
And with the last swish of the pen Emma officially now owns The Rabbit Hole.
"It was great doing business with you Ms... Emma." The man said
"Thank you so much Mr.. I'm sorry i never got your name." Emma said shyly
"Jefferson" He laughed
"Jefferson" She said with a nod of her head, as she reached out her hand to shake on it.
"Please go have a drink on me." She told Jefferson
"No thank you I must get home to my daughter, rain-check?"
"Of course." She said with a smile
"Celebratory drink Em?" Ruby said with a smile.
"Yeah, but just one drink Rubes. I want to get back to Henry." She explained
They walked out of the back, to the bar introducing themselves to all the employees and asked for a beer. That's when something caught Emma's eye. Emma started walking form behind the bar, trying to figure out what it was that caught her eye. That's when Emma felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see a wide eyed Ruby who said
"She here Em!" As she pointed over to the sitting area by the back wall of the bar. As Emma looked in the direction of Ruby's pointed finger that's when she saw her, and the beautiful smile.