Chapter 2

David and Emma stayed in the living room while Cassandra did a check of his house to make sure it was fit for a child. They were sitting across from each other on separate couches.

David was looking at Emma and it killed him how tiny she was. He made a note that she needs to eat more than she currently does. "So Emma. Do you uh, like to do anything for fun?"

"Doesn't everyone?" She remarked. It came out pretty rudely. "Sorry."

He smiled at her. "That's alright. I'm sure this is all very confusing for you."

She gave a weak smile in return. "I read sometimes. And I go on walks. But mostly I sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. I love sleep." She answered simply.

He chuckled. "So, what do you like to read? Anything specific?"

Emma chewed on her lip for a minute, pondering on whether or not she wanted to show him her books, eventually she relented. She grabbed her book bag and moved onto the same couch as David. She pulled her only two books out and put them on her lap. "This one is The Ugly Duckling, it's the only reason that I like my last name. I used to not like it, but someone read it to me and told about the ugly duckling turning out to be a beautiful swan. I like the name now." She said, absentmindedly flipping through the pages. She closed that book and moved it aside, then she opened her storybook. "This is just a really big storybook that I've had for like ever. It makes Snow White look like less of a wimp. She's totally awesome in here. She's a bandit and her prince charming isn't really a prince! He's a shepherd that had to pretend to be a prince! Isn't that cool?"

Unbeknownst to them, Cassandra was watching from the doorway with a smile on her face.

David was ginning so widely, he was sure he might actually break his face, but he didn't care. "That's unbelievably cool. Maybe I could read it to you sometime?" He suggested.

Emma smiled. "Really?" David nodded. "That'd be awesome!" That's when she saw Cassandra watching them. "Did you hear that Cassie! He's gonna read to me! Can you believe it?"

Cassandra smiled, she hadn't seen Emma this excited in quite a while. "That's great Emma. I better be heading out now. You have my number?" Emma nodded. "Be good, alright?"

"I promise."

Cassandra went over and shook David's hand. "Call me if you need anything." And with that, she left.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to go into town to get something to eat?" David asked shortly after Cassie left. Emma nodded. "Should we walk or go in my truck?"

"Walk."

David and Emma walked hand-in-hand to Granny's Diner. When they walked into the Diner all eyes were on them, luckily Granny put a stop to it. "Mind your own!" She scolded nearly all the customers. "Sorry about that David. Who's this?" She asked, smiling gently at Emma.

"I'm Emma." She answered quietly, squeezing David's hand.

David smiled. "We're just gonna pick a booth now." He informed Granny and they made their way over to a booth in the corner.

"What can I order?" She asked him.

He smiled at her. "Anything you want. If it's on the menu, you can get it." He leaned in and whispered, "As long as it's not alcohol. I'd have to arrest you." He joked and Emma giggled.

Seconds later a waitress came over. "Hiya there honey. I'm Ruby. What do you want to eat?"

"Grilled cheese and onion rings… oh and hot cocoa with cinnamon please." She answered.

Ruby smiled. "You know, there's only one other person I know that orders that." She said and as if on cue, said woman walked through the door. "Speak of the devil."

"Mary Margaret!" David said, waving her over. "There's someone I want you to meet." He grinned. "This, is Emma."

The woman smiled. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Emma. Mind if I… join you?" She asked, she wasn't sure if she should, especially since David just got his daughter back, but Emma nodded.

"Can she David?"

He- of course- nodded. "Absolutely."

Ruby was just standing there. "You want your usual Mare?" She asked with a wink.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes and blushed slightly at her best friends not-so-subtle remarks about her and David's non-existent relationship. "Yes."
After Ruby gave them their food, the bell above the door rang and Emma looked over and saw a woman with short black hair come inside, she made a chill run down Emma's spine. The woman spotted her and began walking over to them. "Who are you." She asked rudely.

Emma gulped, eyes wide. This woman was scary, but Emma could also see a hint of sadness behind her eyes. David noticed Emma's reluctance, so decided to answer for her. "Hello Madam Mayor. I'm fine. How are you?" David responded, the mayor didn't even flinch. He sighed. "This is Emma. My daughter."

The mayor hummed in response then went over to the counter. "Who was that?"

"That's Regina." Mary Margaret answered. Emma just nodded in response. Mary Margaret turned to look at David. "Have you enrolled her in school yet?"

Emma couldn't contain her eye roll. David chuckled. "That's where we're headed next. The plan is for her to start on Monday."

After they finished eating the two bid Mary Margaret goodbye and got her enrolled in school, went shopping for school supplies and casual clothes. The school supplied uniforms for school, so they didn't have to worry about that.

XXX

Emma was laying in her bed reading her storybook, when David knocked on the door. "Come in."

"Hey Emma. Did you have a good day?" She nodded and that's when David spotted the storybook on her lap. "Do you want me to read to you?"

She smiled. "Yeah. I'd really like that. People don't read to me a lot. I like being read to."

He mirrored her smile and sat on the edge of her bed and began reading to her. Within a few minutes she was snoring, he smiled at his beautiful daughter. He shut the book and set in on her nightstand.

Then he tucked her in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I love you princess."

XXX

Emma woke up in the middle of the night, confused, she didn't know where she was. Did someone tuck her in? Then it all came back to her. She wasn't abandoned. Her dad didn't abandon her. He was in a coma her whole life. He does want her. He does love her. She's not an orphan.

She couldn't help it. She wants to see him, but she doesn't wanna wake him up. He might be upset. He might be mad that she's up at- she looked over at the clock on her nightstand- 3am.

She decided against waking David and decided to just get a glass of water, then go back to sleep.

She went downstairs and began looking through the cabinets, she opened a cabinet that she could barely reach, hoping that the cups weren't in there- much to her demise- they were. "Great." She muttered.

She pulled a chair over and stood on it to get a cup. Just as she was climbing down with the cup she slipped and off the chair, causing herself to fall and shatter the glass cup. She gasped and started picking up the pieces with her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She kept repeating under her breath, tears streaming down her face.

David heard the glass breaking and ran downstairs where the noise came from. He saw his daughter on the floor and he could hear her saying something, but he wasn't sure what it was. He didn't even notice the pile of broken glass, he was too worried about her. "Emma?"

Her head snapped up. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was an accident!"

"Hey, hey. It's okay." That's when he noticed that her hand was bleeding, then his eyes drifted to the glass on the floor. "You're bleeding." He lifted her over the pile of glass on the floor and sat her on the counter.

"It was an accident David! Please don't be mad!"

He smiled gently at her. "I'm not mad. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was thirsty, but I couldn't reach the cups." She hiccupped. "I got the chair and got a cup, but I fell. I'm really really sorry David. I should've just waited til morning."

"How about next time, just wake me up. Alright?" Emma nodded. "I'm gonna go get the first aid kit. I'll be right back. Stay here." He told her and she nodded.

He came back a few second later with the kit and began cleaning her hand. "Ow." She pulled her hand back.

He winced. "I know it hurts kiddo, but I have to clean it out." She nodded and gave him her hand back.

"I'm sorry. Please don't send me back. I'll be better."

It broke David's heart. "I'm not." He promised her. "You're my daughter." He wiped a stray tear from her face. "I refuse to lose you again kiddo." He finished cleaning her hand. "All done. Are you hurt anywhere else." She shrugged. He smirked. "Where else?" She pointed to her knee. He rolled her pajama pants up and saw a bruise on her knee. "It's just a bruise, but I'll get you some ice."

"Thank you."

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