Let it out, let me in, take a hold of my hand

There's nothing like another soul that's been cut up the same

And did you wanna drive without a word in-between?

I can understand, you need a minute to breathe

And to sew up the seams... after all this defeat

-Handwritten, Gaslight Anthem

Caroline:

Caroline was sleeping when she heard the knock on her door. In her blue fluffy pajamas with teddy bears that she's had for a couple of years, she walks out of her room, down the stairs and quickly to the front door. She didn't bother to check who it was because Caroline figured it was Tessa checking up on her to make sure she was okay.

The minute Caroline opened the door dread filled her up, and she wanted to slam the door and run up to her room and scream into her pillow because the worst person on the planet had arrived.

Emma Forbes.

And the worst part…was that for a minute Caroline thought it was her mom because Emma looked exactly like her, just a bit younger. Caroline wanted to punch Emma then slap her, then yell and scream at her and just tell her to disappear again because that what Emma did the first time and Caroline doesn't need more heartbreak.

But the fact that Emma looked just like their mom broke Caroline down before she could express her rage at Emma. So instead she collapsed on the ground and begun sobbing. Emma knelt down and pulled her into her arms and rocked Caroline back and forth, whispering and kissed her forehead as Caroline cried into her shoulder.

Emma:

Emma picked Caroline up and led her inside and laid her in her room, tucked her into her bed and quietly shut the door and made her way downstairs. Emma went out to the porch to grab her luggage and brought it back inside. She was going to have to go to the airport soon to pick up Draco.

Emma picked up her stuff and brought it into the house, shutting the door behind her. She carried it upstairs and then paused, staring at the door in front of her. Her bedroom door from when she was seventeen. Emma gulped, not knowing what was going to be in there, whether her mother changed it or not.

Swallowing her fear, Emma pushed open the door to find her room the exact same it had been when she left. On her bed lied the purple quilt her grandmother, Rose Nolan had sewn for her. She had the lavender walls with the posters of Johnny Depp and Joseph Gordon Levitt decorating her walls. Her desk was still the ivory white with the purple office chair with it. Emma set her luggage down that came with her and went outside to see if the moving truck had arrived.

It was turning the corner just as she stepped out onto the porch. The truck pulled into the driveway and they began to bring out the boxes she had packed the day before.

"Where do you want this miss?"

"Just inside, on the living room floor."

The man grunted and Emma directed the three guys where to go and helped bring in her stuff. She hadn't packed any furniture but her favourite chair.

Everything else was just knick knacks she had from over the years in Manhattan. Soon everything was out of the truck and in the house. She paid the men, they said goodbye and left. Emma took a deep breath, secretly hoping she wouldn't have to stay here in Storybrooke Falls for long. She had a feeling though that that would not be the case.

"So you're moving in?"

Emma turned around to see Caroline on the now wearing a flower dress with short sleeves and a nametag over her right breast.

"Yeah. That's the idea."

"You should go. It's obvious you don't want to be here."

That hurt. Emma knew Caroline was made at her but to ask her to leave? That hurt Emma more than she liked to admit.

"I'm staying till you don't need me anymore."

"Who said we ever did?"

"no one."

"Then go."

"I'm not leaving."

"You sure? Cause your track record of not leaving isn't very clean."

With that Caroline strode past Emma and walked out of the house, brushing off Emma's hand when she reached for her. Emma leaned against the door frame and hit her head against it. She had screwed up. Big time.

"Where are you going?"

"To my job."

Emma sighed as she watched her sister walk away. Caroline had a job. Her first job? Her second? Was she in university now? Emma had missed so many milestones…

Emma got off the frame and headed back inside. She went into the kitchen and found the coffee maker and filled it to make herself some coffee. She then noticed the phone on the counter and it was flashing red. She pressed the play button to hear the message.

"Hey Caroline, it's Derek. I know this is a bad time for you but I've got some of your mother's things her at the station. You can drop by anytime today to pick them up. I'll see you later."

Emma waited for the coffee to finish and went to grab a mug when she realized that she should probably go pick up the stuff. Of course she had no idea who Derek was and wasn't exactly keen on getting discovered. But the town was small and everyone knew everyone's business and with the sheriff's death, people would be showing up all the time to offer condolences and probably try to get some gossip from Caroline to see if Elizabeth Forbes was anything like the portrait she portrayed. Good and loving mother, loving wife, a determined sheriff…

But Caroline knew nothing and Emma had wanted to keep it that way for both Draco and Caroline. They didn't need to hate their mom like Emma did. They didn't need to know the dirty little secret that she had. That Elizabeth wasn't a saint, and Emma's father certainly wasn't either. The family secret would die with her and she highly doubted her father would tell anything. He probably wasn't even in the town anymore.

So Emma went to her box labeled kitchen and ripped it open and fished inside to find a travel mug to hold her coffee. She put the coffee in that and then went to the front door to leave. She stopped at the frame and backed up a little noticing some keys hanging on the wall. She plucked them off and look at them closely. There was no chance…

Emma opened up the garage and gasped when she saw what was inside. Her old, yellow buggy was still there. Underneath a tarp but there none the less. She smiled, happy to be reunited with her bug and she hopped in, turned on the engine and slowly backed out.

She drove on the roads for a while till she came to the downtown area of the town. No one was out though since it was raining and that made Emma grateful. Less chance of being discovered. She grabbed her umbrella and the ran for the steps, her boots splashing the rain. She opened the door and shut it quickly, shaking off the water and shutting her umbrella.

"Hey Caroline. I wasn't sure you would come but then I saw your car and –"

Emma looked up to see a tall and very gorgeous man staring at her. He was certainly fit and wore a gray long sleeved shirt that fit snugly to his chest. He was bald with fuzz around his mouth. He was brown skinned and wore jeans that fit him snugly as well. He looked really good. He had a badge clipped onto a belt loop that said deputy on it. He had papers in his hand and his mouth was hanging open and because Emma was curious, she looked at his ringer finger and saw a platinum band sitting there.

"Whoa."

Emma looked at the floor sheepishly, embarrassed by the fact that he thought she was Caroline. She crossed her arms and then looked back up at him.

"Derek Morgan and you are?"

Derek stuck out his hand and Emma took it, keeping on arm across her chest.

"Emma Swan."

"You know new people never come here. Ever."

"I'm not new."

"Oh? I've never seen you before and Emma Swan isn't familiar to me."

Emma laughed and looked up at the wall.

"I guess that's because no one would know me in this town as Emma Swan. They'd know me as Emma Forbes."

Derek's eyes went wide as his head processed the information. Emma could seed the gears in his brain turning.

"So you're the other daughter. The infamous one."

Emma groaned. So everyone knew who she was. Great.

"Well I'm here to pick up my mom's stuff so…getting that would be great."

"Oh right! Yeah sure. Hang on a sec."

Derek disappeared to the back and Emma walked around the office checking it out. She noticed the computer and walked over to it, her hands now in her back pockets and peered at the screen. It seemed he was trying to find something…or someone.

"You know, you're mother was a great woman. I admired her so much. She taught me everything I know."

Emma looked up at him as he held a box full of things. He set it on the table and Emma smiled and simply nodded along, knowing that if she spoke, she'd ruin the image everyone had of her.

"Who are you looking for?"

Derek moved over to the computer and sat down and began typing in a name into the database.

"We're looking for a girl named Grace. Her father, Jefferson, doesn't know where she is and he's frantic."

Emma cocked up and eyebrow at this.

"Move over. Let me see."

Derek shifted the chair and watched as Emma squatted down in front of the computer and her fingers began to type furiously over the keys. Finally she smirked and backed up, allowing Derek to take a look.

"No way. She's there?"

"Yeah. It's obvious that Grace simply ran off on her own. That's what most kids do. So I just hacked into the security cameras at the stop lights and checked them out. My guess? She's on her way home right now."

Derek leaned back into his chair, impressed.

"Wow. Thanks. Want to come with me to pick her up?"

Emma shrugged. "Sure. Let me just grab the stuff and put it in my trunk. Then I'll join you."

Derek nodded and watched as Emma got the stuff and left the station. An idea was brewing in his head now.

Caroline:

Caroline wiped the counters and smiled at the cleanliness of them. If Luke found her in here he would kill her. But he wasn't in charge today, Granny was so Caroline wasn't worried. She tied the apron tighter on her waist and looked up when the bell chimed by the door. It was Zoe, one of the town's doctors.

"Hey Dr. Hart!"

"Hey Caroline. Can I have some coffee? Preferably black."

Caroline nodded and went over to the coffee maker and turned it on.

Zoe Hart had been the doctor who looked after Elizabeth Forbes case. She treated her and been there all along the way with Caroline. She was Emma's age, twenty eight and had known Emma for a bit when they were both seventeen. Then again everyone had known Emma because she was Miss popular. Everyone wanted to be Emma Swan.

"here you go. One black coffee."

Zoe smiled and took a sip and sighed. "Always a great cup of coffee with you."

"Go talk to Luke he's the one who makes it. I just pour it."

Zoe laughed. "Every once in a while Caroline you just need to take a compliment when given, even if it's not true. Ignorance is bliss."

Zoe continued laughing as she left the grill to head back to the hospital. Caroline sighed and turned around only to run into Ruby.

"Hey Red."

Ruby wasn't actually called Ruby because all she ever wore was red. So everyone called her Red.

"Hey Care. How are you doing?"

"I'm alright. I'm getting through it."

Ruby smiled and nodded. If anyone knew what Caroline was going through it was Ruby. Ruby's mother had died when Ruby was a teen. Her mother though had bi polar disorder and had tried to kill her so they had to put her down. It tore Ruby to pieces for months, but she climbed out of the deep, dark, hole she was in thanks to a man by the name of Victor Whale.

The two were an item now, dating for three years. The question was…when would Victor pop the question? Caroline smiled at the thought of something good happening during this dark time.

Ruby was busy cleaning up the diner when Caroline's shift ended. Caroline hung her apron up and grabbed her bag, ready to face his sister back home.

"Oh hey Caroline?"

Caroline looked up from the door at Ruby who was facing her.

"Josh wants you to head over to his office to meet him. He has to uh…go over the will."

Caroline smiled a small smile. "Thanks tell him I'll contact him when I can."

Ruby nodded and went back to cleaning. Caroline headed out and sighed. Josh Lucas was a lawyer and a good guy. He was married to his wife Cher, who was the charity organizer for well basically any charity. She wasn't the brightest person on the block but she certainly knew how to get people to give.

Caroline walked the streets, admiring the fall weather. Technically it was early September, so the month should still be hot from the summer, but Caroline was never one for the heat. She preferred the weather to be clouded over, no rain unless she was inside, and a cool breeze blowing the dried leaves off the ground and into the air.

On the route home Caroline went through the park, reminiscing about how her mother used to take them to the park and watch the three siblings play on the slide and swings. She sat down on the bench and watched the children play and wished that Emma had never left, Draco had stayed with them and hadn't disappeared out of the blue, and her mother hadn't died.

"Hey Care."

Caroline looked up and saw Tessa standing by the bench. Her red curls blowing in the breeze that existed and her green/blue eyes sparkling.

"Hey Tess."

Tessa sat down beside Caroline and looked at her, her hands remaining in her coat pocket.

"How are you doing?"

"Surviving."

Barely.

"Whose that with Derek?"

Caroline looked up and gasped as she saw Emma walking with Derek Morgan, the town's deputy.

"Wonder who she is. Holy shit! She looks like…like…"

"My mom? I know. Probably because she's my sister."

Tessa was bewildered and turn to face Caroline on the bench as Caroline stared daggers at Emma and Derek.

"You have a sister?"

"Brother too."

"You have a family?"

Caroline then looked at Tessa and immediately felt sorry for her. Tessa only had her dad.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You don't ever really think of these things. I mean, you probably think about how much they meant to you, you know? But me? I see all the happy families and wish…that had been me. That I have that mother, the siblings. It sucks."

Caroline nodded and slowly stood up.

"I'm going home. Want to come over?"

Tessa nodded and both girls stood and walked away from the bench, away from the park, and away from their bad thoughts to Caroline's home.

Draco:

Draco sighed as he rolled over in the seat he was in. He had just woken up and his flight still had three more hours to go. He looked at all the other passengers in first class with him. They all had expensive suites on, some were bald, others wore toupees, and some had actually hair. Either way, this was a place his father thrived; making deals with others who had simply come for a ride. Greedy men, eager to snatch up the latest offer. It was how they worked.

But this atmosphere was something g that made Draco uncomfortable to the point where he just wanted to disappear, to be in his mother's arms like when he was young and snuggling up to her when he was scared.

A shiver went down his spine and he felt arms wrap around him. He looked around but saw nothing. No one was there. But the feeling remained, and ushered him into a deep sleep.

Emma:

"So Emma…I guess you're here for the funeral and then what?"

"I'll probably stay for a while, to look after Caroline and the place."

And Draco.

"Really? So you'll be needing a job?"

Emma stopped walking and looked at Derek. She never thought of that.

"I guess so. I never really thought of that."

"What was your job in Manhattan?"

"I was a bounty hunter."

"No kidding. Like mother like daughter, if you don't mind me saying."

Emma nodded and ran up to catch up with Derek.

"Well the sheriff position needs to be taken. I've never been comfortable taken Liz's spot. You've got the qualifications. It's yours if you want it."

"I don't know…"

"Just think about it alright. Here's my number give me a call with your decision. I've got to get going to my wife now. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah. See ya."

Emma watched as Derek ran off to the right, very intent on getting somewhere. He was definitely a newlywed, with the joy he immediately got when talking about his wife. She must be some woman.

Emma shook her head and walked back to her car. The rain had let up a bit but she was soaked to the bone. She dived into her car, slamming the door with a hope to keep the rain ou.t It worked, and Emma stuck the keys in her ignition and drove on home.

Once she got there she grabbed the box of her mother's things and headed up to the front door. Balancing the box in one arm, her knee extended up a bit to keep the box in place, she fished with her left hand for her keys, grabbed them, and unlocked the door. She pushed it open with her foot and trudged on in, kicking off her boots in the process.

"Hey Emma."

Emma turned around to see Caroline sitting at the island with a girl with red, curly hair. They held mugs with the scent of hot chocolate with whip cream and cinnamon. It was a Forbes thing, to have whip cream and cinnamon. No one else seemed to like it. The red haired girl had plain old cocoa. Nothing special.

"Hey."

"Emma this is Tessa. She;s my best friend."

Emma nodded and smiled. "hey Tessa."

"Hi."

"What do you have there Emma?"

"Mom's stuff from the station. Derek had called you but I figured I go because you were at work."

Caroline nodded and turned her head back to Tessa, obviously declaring it to be the end of the conversation. Emma huffed and made her way up the stairs to her mom's bedroom. She set the box on the bed and sat beside it. She pulled out her mom's jacket, hat, gun, papers, and pictures.

There were a bunch of Caroline, and couple of Draco but the biggest picture was of Emma. It was in a frame that Emma made when she was in grade school. It was of Emma, and her mom, when Emma was sixteen, before everything went wrong. They had gone for ice cream and her mom had pulled out the camera. Emma's hair was shorter then, up to her shoulders, and her mom had the usual spiky look. Emma's eyes were shut and she was laughing while her mom laughed with her. They both had ice cream on their noses, vanilla, because they weren't ones for detail.

Emma smiled and felt a tear slip down her face. She wiped it as quickly as possible and put the picture on the bed with the rest of the things. There was a blanket left and Emma took that out. It was her baby blanket, the one that her mother made before she became sheriff. It was knitted white, with a purple ribbon going through at the ends. It also had her name, Emma, woven into the fabric. It was purple too.

Emma set it down and noticed one more thing in the box. It was her mom's badge. It wasn't anything big but an eight point star of gold metal that said sheriff on it. Emma flipped in her fingers, and traced the word on it.

Emma then grabbed her purse and threw the badge in it. She threw on her coat, realizing she was going to be late to the airport to pick up Draco.

She ran down the stairs as fast as possible grabbing the car keys while waiting for the phone to pick up. She had dialled Derek's number on the way down the stairs.

Tessa and Caroline were gone, probably went to Tessa's house to get away from Emma.

"Hello?"

A female voice answered and Emma assumed it to be Derek's wife.

"Hi I'm emma Swan, I'm lookin g for Derek. Is he there?"

"Yup! Sure thing! Let me just get him. Hey Derek? An Emma Swan on the phone for you!"

"Be right there baby girl!"

Emma waited a bit and then heard the phone be passed on.

"Emma?"

"Yeah. Hey so I thought about it and I'll take it."

"Really? That's fantastic! So can you start tommrow?"

"Sure."

"Perfect. See you soon Emma."

"Yeah. Bye."

Emma hung up her cell phone and went to her car to pick up Draco from the airport. Meanwhile Derek was smiling in his house with his wife at the dinner table.

"Hun what's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just knew the badge would work."

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did! Please review!

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