Chapter 2

Emma woke up a 7:30 the next morning and began getting ready, she got ready quickly in hopes to see David soon. She was ready earlier than usual, just in time to see David arriving almost 30 minutes early.

She smiled and left the house early. "Hi David." She said, with her book bag sitting neatly on her shoulders. "You're early."

He mirrored her smile. "I didn't want to risk being late." He told her, then he thought for a moment. "Er… do you know where your school is located?" He asked, scratching nervously behind his ear.

She nodded, giggling. "You go straight until you see the old brick building, then you turn…" She held up her hands, shaping them both like L's to determine which was left and which was right. "Right. Then when you see the small church, you go the other way and then you go straight until you see the school."

He smiled at her. "Then let's be on our way. Do you wanna stop and getting something to eat before school, so we're not so early? Like a donut or something?" Emma nodded and when they sat down to eat their donuts, David turned to Emma. "So, you must have lots of questions."

She nodded. "Are you magic?" She tilted her head to the side. "I saw you walk through a wall. Ooh! Or maybe, you're a ghost. Are you a ghost?"

He chuckled. "I'm afraid it's a no on both. I used magic to find you, but I do not have magic." She still looked rather confused. "There's something called a pixie flower, it's made of-"

"-pixie dust!" She finished. "You found me with fairy magic! That's so cool!" It was quiet for a minute or two. "What can you tell me anything about my mom? What's she like? What does she look like?" She finally asked.

He smiled and took three photos out of his pocket. "We took these pictures just before I came here, to New York." She was admiring the pictures. "She's wonderful Emma. It killed her that she couldn't come with me. But she had to sacrifice a life with you, to protect you from her step-mother."

She sighed. "I don't like her step-mom." She sighed. "Will we ever see her again?"

"Absolutely. It might not be for a long time, but you will see her again. I can promise you that."

That brought a smile to her face. "We better go now. School starts at 8:30."

"I want you to keep these two. It might be a while until we see her again, so keep them, forever and ever."

After dropping Emma off at Saratoga Springs Elementary School, David went job searching. He didn't have much, except his curse memories came to him late last night, so he knows all necessary and basic information about himself. Apparently Regina wanted to make him a cop, because she gave him a degree in criminal justice. He decided to go to the Saratoga Springs Police Department.

He walked inside and things seemed slightly hectic, there were only a few people there. "Sir, can I help you?" A man in a uniform asked him.

"Uh, Hello. Is there any way I can speak to the Captain? Or do I make an appointment? I'm new here and-"

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged it off. "His office is just over there." He pointed across the room.

David nodded. "Thank you officer." David made his way over to the other side of the room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." He heard a gruff voice say.

David entered the room and smiled politely at the captain. "Hello sir. My name's David Nolan. I'm new to the city, well to the state really. Um, a few days ago I left a small town and came here. I was in an accident, so my memories are a little fuzzy, so forgive me if some of what I say doesn't make much sense. I know that I have a degree in criminal justice."

"You want a job?"

David nodded. "Yes sir. If you can-"

"This is great! Things have been hectic since a group of our officers- they're brothers- moved away. I normally wouldn't do this so quickly, but we're low on man power. You'll have to work your way up the food chain, but fill this out and you just might find yourself a job! Do you have any questions?"

David smiled. "Uh… yeah. At the moment, I'm trying to get custody of my daughter, I mean… I won't be able to until I have a stable home, of course. Will that be a problem?"

"No, no, no. Don't you worry son. You're starting at a low risk job anyways, just answering phones for now. So, don't you worry. Just fill out this application."

David nodded. That was easier than he expected it to be. He supposes this is what it's like when you don't have an Evil Queen shaped road block everytime you need something. "Thank you."

"You can fill it out in the box if you wanna make this quick." He suggested. David nodded, liking the idea of making it quick. The captain showed him the way to the 'box' otherwise known as an interrogation room and David filled out the app.

Once David finished, he made his way back to the captain's office after being invited in he handed the application over. "All done sir." David said. "I don't have a personal phone yet, so I just gave you the number to a direct line to my motel room that I'm staying in for now."

"Alright son. I'll give you a call and let you know tonight or first thing tomorrow morning."

A few hours later, David was standing outside Emma's school waiting to walk her back to her current foster home, but what he saw both broke his heart and make his blood boil.

XXX

All day at school, Emma was telling people that she found her real dad, but no one believed her. They have been calling her names all day, she just wanted to leave.

The last bell had finally rung and Emma practically ran out of the doors, but she was stopped my some of the fifth graders- that had overheard her talking to her friends about her father- just after she left.

The fifth grader that stopped her- Jess- grabbed her arm and spun Emma around. "Well, well, well. If it isn't little orphan Annie."

Emma yanked her arm back. "That's not my name! Leave me alone!"

"Are you really gonna keep lying to everyone? Telling them that you found your dad. No one believes you, everyone knows you just want them to like you."

She gritted her teeth together. "That's not true! You're just being mean."

Jess and her friends all started laughing, then pushing Emma back and forth between them. "Orphan, orphan, orphan." The older kids just kept repeating, whilst laughing at a crying Emma.

David saw what was going on so he came over. "Ahem." He cleared his throat. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked the older girls. They all just stayed quiet, looking at the ground. "Are you alright Emma?"

She nodded. "I'm fine." She said wiping her tears away.

"I think you girls need to apologize to Emma."

The girls looked at him as if he were crazy, then they all just sighed. "Sorry Emma." They muttered.

David turned to Emma. "Ready for that walk home?" Emma merely nodded and took his hand. After a few minutes of walking David said, "I may have found a job."

Emma smiled at him. "Really? Where?"

"Answering phones at the police station, for now. They seem like they really need the help. It's not definite yet, but I'm hopeful."

Emma sighed. "How long until I can come stay with you? I don't like living in the foster home."

"I'm not sure yet kiddo. I still need to find an affordable house or a 2-room apartment at least. I'm not sure how long that'll take. I have to take care of quite a few things, but I'm hoping that since I have a job now, I can talk to your social worker into letting me spend some time with you. On a sort of schedule."

Emma stopped and pulled a pen and paper out of her bag, then pulled a card out of her pocket and wrote something down. "Here." She handed him the paper. "This is Kelly's number. She's my social worker."

"Well, thank you very much Emma." They reached the foster home Emma was staying at she sighed. "I guess this is where we part." How bowed ever-so dramatically, causing Emma to giggle. "Until next time, princess Emma." She looked up at him smiling. "I'm sorry you had a bad day at school kiddo." He ruffled her hair. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." She unexpectedly hugged him and he returned it with a smile.

XXX

David was sitting in his motel room looking online at apartments- he found one that he might be able to afford in a few weeks time- when the phone rang. "Hello?"

"David Nolan?"

"Uh… that's me."

"This is captain Rogers with the Saratoga Springs PD. We met earlier today."

David perked up. "Yes! I remember sir."

"Any chance you can start Monday morning. 9 am sharp. Your shift ends at 5."

David's grin was wide as a cheshire cat. "Absolutely! Uh, is there a chance I could leave at 3 everyday to pick my daughter up from school?" He questioned.

"Not a problem son. See you tomorrow. Goodbye."

David ended the call. "Yes!" He shouted, he was ecstatic, he only wished that his Snow could be here with him. He wanted to tell Emma right away, but there was no way, not until tomorrow.

XXX

Before picking Emma up from school, David went to the store and bought a few walkie-talkies, so he and his daughter could have a way to talk, even when they aren't together.

"Hey David!"

He smiled at his daughter walking up to him. "Hey there kiddo. How was school?" She just shrugged. "I've got something for you."

She perked up. "Really? What is it?"

He pulled the walkie-talkies out of his pocket. "One for you, one for me. So, we can talk. Whenever you want. I'll always answer if I can." He promised.

"Thanks! We can talk at night too, right? Not just day?"

He nodded. "Whenever you want." She smiled. "So, I'm gonna call Kelly later today and set up a meeting."

He saw Emma's smile brighten even more, at least until they got to her foster home. "It's Friday." She sighed. "Does that mean I won't see you until Monday?"

"Not sure kiddo, but we can talk all you want with our walkies." He promised her.

XXX

He had a meeting set up for Sunday afternoon with Emma's social worker Kelly Leathe.

XXX

"I can make a few calls Mr Nolan, I can make my recommendations. Judging by the fact that you're living in a motel, she obviously can't start staying with you."

He nodded. "In a few weeks, I should have enough money saved up for a 2-bedroom apartment at The Springs." He informed her. "I know she can't live with me right away. I thought maybe after I get my apartment and get my license renewed, we could move onto that step." The social worker nodded, listening to what he was saying. "But, I was hoping that maybe I could spend time with her during the day, on a schedule. Like after I get off work, I could pick her up and I'll have her back at a certain time." He continued. "Is something like that… possible?"

She nodded. "Yes. Birth parents do this often. As I said before, I can send the state my recommendation, but it's up to them. Honestly, with how hard you're trying, I don't see why you would have a problem. You'll have a definite answer by Tuesday. I think it's important that she gets to know you."

They were just ending their meeting, when they heard Emma's voice over the walkie-talkie. "David? How did it go? What'd Kelly say?"

They both chuckled, David got up and put his jacket on, the grabbed the walkie out of his pocket as he was leaving. "She thinks I have a good shot Emma."

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