Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Chapter One

Emma sat in her new room, she had to admit it was nicer than the foster home she had run away from in Boston. But she wouldn't be staying here long. In a couple of days' time, her social worker would be here to pick her up and she'd be taken away to some high-security foster home. She knew as soon as she got to this 'high-security foster home', she wouldn't be able to run off as easily as she had done before.

Emma frowned as she carved the first line into the wall of her new room, one day she had been here now. She knew already, she was going to hate it here, no matter how short the time she spent here was. Some idiot had already stolen her video camera, if it wasn't for the woman who ran the foster home, she may not have gotten it back without a fight.

Emma glared towards the door of her room as the old clock in the hall chimed seven o'clock. As the sound of feet echoed along the hall, Emma got to her feet and walked over to the window. Just outside her window a mighty oak tree grew, Emma knew on a windy night the branches would tap and scratch at the glass.

"Emma!" A voice from downstairs called.

Emma turned away and walked back over to her bed where she lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. She started to count the cracks in the paint, they formed a cobweb-like pattern across the ceiling and it had obviously been a while since the room had been painted. But she would choose a place like this, any day, over a high-security foster home.

"Emma, honey," The voice called again. "You have to come down."

Emma rolled her eyes and turned to face the wall. She scratched away a piece of loose paint with her nail. Downstairs she could hear the other kids yelling and talking to each other, just like they had at all her previous foster homes. Even if she went downstairs now, it would be too late. Like she had told Lily if you didn't eat quickly enough or didn't get to the food quick enough, the bigger kids stole all the food.

Emma jumped slightly as the door to her room opened… She hadn't heard anyone in the hallway or walking up the stairs. Hearing someone sigh, Emma tried to work out who it could be. She knew it wasn't any of the other kids, they had no reason to enter her room. Suddenly the person moved. As their footsteps got closer to the bed, Emma tensed.

"Emma, honey, sit up," The voice that had called her from downstairs said.

Slowly Emma rolled over to face the woman who ran this foster home.

"What do you want?" Emma snapped.

"Sit up," The woman said again. "I want to talk."

Emma rolled her eyes but sat up. As soon as she had, the women sat down beside her on the bed.

"Well talk," Emma snapped, not in the mood for a bonding session.

"I have a name," The woman laughed. "It would be polite to use it."

Emma looked down and away from her, "I can't remember your name."

"My name is Ingrid," The woman, Ingrid, answered.

There was a moment's silence.

"Why did you run away?" Ingrid asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"My, aren't you defensive," Ingrid answered. "So, why did you run away?"

Emma sighed, knowing if she didn't answer Ingrid would never stop asking. "Because I knew if I stayed there, I would always be reminded of the fact... I'm never going to find a family that loves me... I'm not even going to find a family!"

)o(

Ingrid smiled as she watched Emma, sitting at the table eating her breakfast. Due to the fact Emma was new at the foster home, she hadn't been enrolled in the local school yet and as a result, it was only her and Ingrid here. Emma meanwhile was watching Ingrid out of the corner of her eye, there was something different about her, but she couldn't think what.

Ingrid was the first person who had truly been kind to her. She had been at this foster home for almost a week now and Ingrid had shown her nothing but kindness and love... Almost like she was family. Emma shook her head slightly, Ingrid was simply being kind to her, like she is to all the other kids.

She was the new kid and Ingrid was just trying to make her feel welcome.

"Emma, honey," Ingrid speaks. "I need to go shopping, will you be okay here on your own?"

Emma turned and meet Ingrid gaze, "Yeah, sure. Whatever."

Ingrid smiled and walked out of the kitchen. As soon as she gone, Emma ran up to her room. The people from the high security foster home were due to arrive any day now, she had to get out of here and find Lily. If she didn't leave soon, she'd wouldn't get a chance to find her. She threw open the door to her room and began searching for the piece of paper Lily gave her, but it wasn't where she left it.

Emma collapsed down on her bed. It was hopeless, without the piece of paper she'd never be able to find Lily. Suddenly Emma got the sense that she was no longer alone, glancing round, she got to her feet. She almost laughed, of course, she was alone, all the other kinds were at school and Ingrid just left to go shopping.

"I'm going mad," Emma muttered, sitting back on her bed.

Sighing as she rested her head in her hands, she just hoped Lily wasn't waiting for her. They had promised they would find each other, well agreed to find each other. They promised they would always be friends, no matter what happened. Emma just hoped Lily would forgive her for never turning up.

"Emma?" Ingrid called from downstairs. "Emma, honey, can you come down please."

Emma jumped to her feet, she though Ingrid had already left. Walking out of her room, Emma walked down the stairs, Ingrid was standing in the hall, coat and scarf pulled warmly around her. Unknown to Emma, she had a piece of paper held tightly in one hand.

"What do you want?" Emma asked, with a bitter tone.

"You're going to be joining me," Ingrid smiled, ignoring Emma's tone. "I hope you don't mind."

Emma shook her head and pulled her coat from its hook. "Not at all."

The last time she had been shopping was with Lily and they hadn't really been shopping legally. A stolen credit card, really was better than stealing things by hiding them under your jacket, but it only worked if you knew the pin number.

As they walked towards Ingrid's car, Emma glanced skywards. The sky was filled with snow clouds. Emma stopped walking. Snow clouds. There were snow clouds in the sky. Actual snow clouds.

"Emma, honey, what is it?"

Emma pointed upwards. "Snow clouds."

Ingrid looks up and smiled slightly. "Beautiful, aren't they?"

"But it's the wrong time of year for snow!" Emma exclaimed.

)o(

Hey, hope you liked that chapter. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.