Mary blew carefully over her hot chocolate, trying to subtly take in her unexpected guest.
They had gotten home about fifteen minutes ago, and in that time she had prepared the hot chocolate and passed Emma some dry clothes to go change into. The child had at first seemed reluctant, but Mary Margret could melt almost any heart in this town with her honest face (and she knew it). In the end, the girl had capitulated and even accepted the offer of a quick shower. The girl had since joined her at the table, sipping the hot cocoa and looking decidedly uncomfortable as she tried to keep hiding that horrible shiner with her scraggly wet hair. She looked even more pitiful in the teacher's comfy sweats that hung off her frame a little too much to appear healthy.
Mary knew kids, in fact she was sure she could place a face to almost all the kids in her snug little town- and this girl was not on her mental list. Which begged the rather disconcerting question- who was she?
But Mary knew that was not the question to ask now. Based on how the teen was acting, anything close to it would send her off into that storm. And the fifth grade teacher was having none of that- not after the effort to get the girl warm and dry.
"So…" she started, watching how Emma tensed in preparation. Mary casually swirled her drink, ignoring the reaction. "I have to admit running into you was the most interesting part of my day, but I think the other thing that was fun was one of my students managed to spill glitter all over the classroom floor and we had to spend half the day picking it all up- most of the kids left looking like a bad attempt at disco balls."
Emma blinked at the random track of conversation. But as Mary was hoping, she cracked a smile- even giving a small chuckle. "Your day sounds nice."
"Well, most days are for me. In fact, I can't really remember a truly bad day, but they must happen, right?"
Emma lost her smile, looking distantly into her cup. "Yeah, bad days happen."
Mary bit her lip. Yes, and I think today was a bad day for you. She sighed, her heart going out to this little girl in a way she couldn't truly explain. There's no friend to call either, I'll bet.
Another loud crack of thunder echoed over the house, and Mary let out a gasp in fright before giggling at her response. Emma jumped to, but stayed quiet, sharing a teasing self-deprecating smile with the teacher. "Wow," breathed Mary, "I don't quite recall ever facing a storm like this here in Storybrooke before."
"Storybrooke?" Emma's face looked slightly confused, and then guilty as she quickly continued, "Uh, I mean are you sure? Because Stor-Storybrooke has had storms like this before. I'll bet. It has to have."
Mary pursed her lips, neutrally replying. "Probably, I'm sure I just forgot." She caught the slip up, though. Emma was confused by the name Storybrooke, which very likely meant she wasn't from here. How long was she wandering in those woods? And where could she have come from? There weren't a lot of towns near Storybrooke. In fact… well, come to think of it, it was a little hard to consider right then what was near her town. She hadn't really ever left, and never had to think of it…
"Is it just you here?"
Mary looked up, surprised that she had zone off there. "Hmm? Oh, well yes. I," she thought of the man in the hospital, the weird twinge in her heart returning, "I guess I haven't met someone to share it with, yet."
Emma raised an eyebrow, her own lips twitching slightly in a little smile that made Mary inexplicitly happy. "I can tell you're lying, you know."
"You… what?" The dark haired woman gapped at the statement.
The blonde ducked her head and then looked up, momentarily forgetting to hide her bruised eye. "Its… don't laugh, but it's a bit of a super power I have. I can tell when someone is lying. And you just lied." She leaned in a little, her eyes gleaming mischievously- it was a good look on her. "So~, I guess that means you have met someone?"
Mary thought again of the handsome man she read to almost every day. "He… its complicated."
Emma rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "It's always complicated."
"No, really, you see-" But she was cut off by another flash outside their window and a ground shattering BOOOM! of thunder. Both girl's shrieked at the sound, then shrieked again as the lights flickered off. "Oh- oh, dear- just a second Emma!"
Blindly, she stood from the table, groping around in the darkened kitchen until she found the cabinet under the sink. Another flash of lightning illuminated the room enough for her to find the emergency flashlight. Deftly, she flicked it on, immediately turning till she found Emma still at the table. Thank goodness. She wasn't sure why she was suddenly so afraid- not of the dark, but of Emma not being there. They both sat there a minute as each followed the light around the room, watching the rain pelt against the window and the wind howl threateningly outside.
"…Well, it's a good thing I already boiled the water so we can make more hot chocolate." Carefully, she maneuvered around the furniture to Emma, handing her the flashlight. "I have a few scented candles I keep for fun around this place. I'm going to go grab them and a lighter. Are you alright to stay here?"
"I… actually, how about I follow you? I'll be the light for you?" Emma shown the light ahead of Mary Margaret, helping to guide her way. "I guess you were right, this storm is pretty bad."
It took about twenty minutes of hunting and gathering, but by the end they had situated themselves snuggly in the living room- second cups of hot chocolate ready and outfitted with at least three blankets a piece. The five tiny candle's bathed the room in a soft glow that just barely let them see around the room- Emma kept the flashlight at her side. Mary looked back to the girl sipping cocoa next to her and again felt that unexplainable tug of sadness and happiness combined. Was it the desire to have a child? Yes, she'd always hoped someday to have children, but this girl was a teen, and clearly a teen in a bad situation.
No, she's so much more than that…
"I've been thinking." The school teacher started, drawing the girl's attention. "About calling your friend." She watched as Emma's eyes widened instantly in worry, trying to think of words to excuse the necessity or bluff her way through further, but Mary wasn't going to let it get to that point. "You were going to surprise your friend with the visit, weren't you? Nobody knew you were coming or going?"
She had given Emma the out tentatively, but the girl readily agreed to it. "Yeah... Totally, that's exactly it!"
Mary sighed (a tad over dramatically). "Well, unfortunately, I'm one of the rare few who haven't moved on with the times. My phone is land based, and that," she emphasized by pointing up towards the brewing storm, "means my phone is dead. So, if you are okay with it, would you like to stay till morning? I can still drive you out somewhere, but I'd personally prefer to stay safe and warm."
Emma's face, so tensed with fear before, drained in relief, snuggling further into the covers. Bathed in the warm light, you almost could pretend her bruise was a shadow. "No, no that seems like a good idea. At least until morning."
Mary smiled knowingly, patting the girl's knee. "Thought so."
Emma tilted her head slightly, tone growing sly. "You know, your electricity might be off for awhile. You, don't have ice cream that'll start melting, do you?"
The teacher laughed. "Now that I think about it, I do! We can't have that go to waste…"
The girls chattered on long into the night- a strange combination of the stoic, wary teen and open-hearted teacher. Mary Margret couldn't explain it, but her soul soared with having her there- just having Emma for Emma. That night was one of the best she had had in… a long time, as far as she could tell.
It was ironic, because as that storm ended, another one- not born of weather, but of fate itself, began to brew.
There was a story to be told.
Elsewhere:
Regina looked out from her window, eyes narrowed with intense focus. The rain pelted down, practically demanding entrance into the house that wasn't supposed to exist. The Queen didn't like surprises. And this- this was worse than a surprise.
This was the beginning of the curse wearing off.
But why? Surely it wasn't time- she had eyes on the road and no one had seen anything. Yet earlier that day, the perfect monotony these pathetic whelps continued to ignorantly live in broke. Broke! It could only be the work of the Savior- any other magic just didn't exist in this land of no happy endings.
Well, she wouldn't take this lying down. The Queen turned from the window, a flash of lightning illuminating her room. "Savior or something else, no one stops me from getting what I want."
Oh look- yay, an update! :D This fic might be slower going, but I promise once I weave all the threads together, you won't be sorry for reading it! Thank you for viewing this fic, and I hope to see you in future chapters.
To clarify, there will be no love pairing for Emma. Well, okay, lie. But THAT romantic interest still has to get to Storybrooke. ;) I'll do my best to keep everything on point even as it differs from canon.
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