Chapter 3

"Are we there yet?" Neal asks

"No" Emma answers keeping her eyes on the road.

"Are we there yet?" Neal asks again a few minutes later.

"Nope" Henry says this time.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes" Ruby says.

"Really?" Neal's face lit up

"No!"

"Are we there yet?" Neal asks again bored for what seemed like hundredth time since they've driving.

"No Neal we're not." Emma sighs annoyed. She gets that Neal is bored and ready for the ride to be over, but he was really working on her nerves. She's still trying to figure out in her head what the hell is going on with her. Can't do much thinking with her best friend in the back whining.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being annoying…" Neal starts to say.

Ruby scruffs. "Understatement of the day."

Neal glares at his best friend, but continues. "...I'm just so gosh darn bored."

"Dude, who says 'gosh darn' any more?" Ruby teases.

"Shut up." Neal pouts.

"Guys seriously." Emma cuts them off before they started bickering and made her headache worse. "Look Neal, why don't you just find something to I don't know pass the time."

"Yea, but no ispy." Ruby cuts in when it looked like Neal was about to suggest something. "Oh singing." she cuts off again. "or Simon Says."

"Damnit dude. You just took all of my ideas." Neal pouts.

"Oh you know I have an idea, how about we play the quiet game." Ruby says with false enthusiasm. Neal tries to think of something to say, but stays quiet. But it doesn't last long.

"Are we there yet?"

"Seriously Neal, do you not get the concept of the quiet game?" Ruby snaps.

"But I'm bored." Neal whine.

"I'm bored." Ruby mocks him.

"What was that?" Neal asks

"What was that?" Ruby mocks again in a funny voice.

"Hey stop that."

"Hey stop that."

"Come on Ruby that's not funny." Neal huffs

"Come on Ruby that's not funny." Ruby mimics him again with a smirk.

"Cut it out!" Neal yells

"Cut it out!"

"Seriously if you two don't stop I'm throwing you both out of the car and leaving you on the side of the road!" Emma yells.

"Sorry Em." the two say. There was silence, for a very short moment.

"Are we there yet?"

"NEAL!" all the occupants in the car yell.

"Fine. I'll just stop talking." Neal pouts.

"Thank god." Ruby says dramatically. Neal looks a little hurt but it goes away.

He stays quiet for a bit, but it doesn't last long. Not wanting to risk his friends yelling at him again, he quietly decided to occupy himself. By making pop noises with his mouth.

"pop" Everyone looks at Neal strangely wondering what he was doing, before going back to looking at the road. "pop"…"pop".

"What are you doing?" Ruby asks.

"What? You told me to occupy myself and I am." Neal replies.

"Dude, for like five minutes can you not be your annoying little brother self. Five minutes. All I'm asking." Ruby says.

"Fine" Neal says. Silence…"pop"

"UGH! Are we there yet?" Ruby snaps.

"Yea" Henry say sounding excited as he saw the road sign come closer.

"Welcome to Storybrooke. What the hell is a Storybrooke?" Emma asks as she passed the road sign.

"Hey guys I think I might know some family here." Ruby says.

"Really?"

"Think so, yea."

"Alright then. Let's get this show on the road." Emma says pushing on the gas.

An hour later, the car finally pulls into a small town street. As Emma pulls her bug to a stop, Henry jumps out of the car.

"Whoa, hey kid where are you going?" Emma asks, also hoping out of the car.

Henry stops and turns to his mother. "I have to go." he says.

"Whoa, go? I thought you said you were helping. That's kind of the point of us being here remember." Emma says.

"I know and I am, but I have to talk her first. So she can figure out what to do. I'll get back to you tomorrow. See ya." Henry says before once again taking off.

"Whoa Henry wait…and he's gone." Emma says. "Damnit."

"So what do we do now?" Neal asks when Emma gets back to them.

Emma shrugs leaning against the car. She then looks at Ruby.

"You know where this family of yours is?" she asks.

"Not a clue." Ruby answers. Emma and Neal drop their heads.

Emma sighs. "It's getting late. I think I saw a bed and breakfast diner on the way here. Let's check that out and in the morning see what the kid came up with." Emma says.

"Wow even in her 17 year old body she's still the boss." Neal jokes. Emma rolls her eyes before starting up the car again and heading for the diner.

5 minutes later they pull in front of the diner/inn. They get out of the car and make their way to the door. Of course not without a little horse play from Neal and Emma.

"Quit it children." Ruby scolds playfully.

"Sorry mom." they say back with smirks. Then Emma trips Neal. Ruby rolls her eyes at the two before opening the door.

When they walk into the diner, the few people that were in there all seemed to stop what they were doing and stared at them.

"Uh weird." Ruby mutters. Emma and Neal nod in agreement.

"Just take a seat anywhere I'll get right to you." an old lady says not looking at them.

The three look at each other shrugging before heading to a table.

After taking a seat at the table, the old lady comes back around.

"Good evening sweethearts and what can I get for y-Ruby?" the old woman says shocked.

Ruby looks up confused hearing her name called but then looks at the older woman and gasps.

"Granny." Ruby says shocked. Emma and Neal watched their friend in interest. Soon Ruby's face turned from shock to excited. She gets up and hugs the other woman. "Granny!"

The older hugs her granddaughter back. When they pull back from the hug, Ruby turns back to her friends.

"Guys look it's my granny!" she says. Emma and Neal looked at her in confusion. "God I haven't seen her in…it's been a while." Ruby says regretfully.

"Oh sweetie stop it. The phone goes both ways remember." Granny says. "So what brings you kids up to these parts?"

The three looks at each other trying to think of a story. They couldn't possibly tell her that they were there because their friend magically turned to her seventeen year old self and there might be someone there that can help them. Yea that didn't sound crazy at all.

"Uh…w-well we were…just driving around and you know…ended here." Ruby says sheepishly.

"Oh well how long are you staying?"

"Um…well that…we don't really know yet." Emma says.

"Uh huh. Well why don't you kids wait here, I'll go something out to eat and we'll talk arrangements. Okay." Granny says. After getting three nods, Granny heads back to the kitchen, but not before giving Ruby one last hug.

"Well…that was unexpected." Emma says.

"Yea. But it was go great seeing her again. Man, it's been…I don't know years since I've last seem her. Months or so since we last talked. I miss her." Ruby says taking her seat.

Neal and Emma nod in understanding. The three talk a little before Granny comes over, arms full with plates of food. For an old lady, she was pretty strong.

"Here you go." Granny gave them each a plate with cheese burgers and fries.

"Oh Granny, you didn't have…" Ruby starts.

"No no let her." Neal says smiling grateful before digging into his burger. "Wow" he moans at the taste of the burger. Granny smiles at Neal's reaction. Beside him, Emma also takes a bite of her burger.

"Holy shit that's good!" Emma exclaims not believing something this good was touching her taste buds. Granny smacks her upside the head. "OW!"

"Language young lady." she scolds. Emma pouts rubbing the back of her head. "So Ruby…introduce me to your friends." Granny says taking a seat.

"Oh uh this is Neal and Emma." Ruby introduces her friends.

"Uh huh, now sweetie, I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you traveling around with a 17 year old?" Granny asks.

Mouths, full of food, stopped mid chew. Oh shit, they didn't think about this part.

"Um…well you see Granny I…I am Emma's guardian." Ruby says. Granny looks at Ruby waiting for more details. "Because you see Granny. Emma here…was raised…by apes." Ruby says. Emma almost chokes on her food when Ruby says that. Granny just looked more intrigued.

"Yes, see Emma's parents were very adventurous, and they wanted little Emma here to be as adventurous as they were, so they took her on one of their camping expeditions. Unfortunately, poor little Emma's parents were mauled by…a tiger." Ruby explains. While Granny looked very intrigued by the story, Neal and Emma were just waiting to hear what else their friend would come up with. "For days baby Emma was left all alone, until this graceful marvelous creator, the ape, comes and takes Emma as her own. And for the next five years raised her as if she were her own little cub." A pause. "But unfortunately society would never have it that way, for some explores found little Emma and took her to live amongst her own kind." Ruby says.

"So that's when you got her?" Granny asks.

"No…no I am afraid this story is much more complicated than that." Ruby says dramatically. "After being "rescued" as some people would say, Emma was switched from foster home to foster home. But she was always the odd man out. Always sitting alone, eating her lunch while hanging upside down on a tree." Ruby continues. Emma was trying not to reach over and strangle her so called best friend, while Neal was trying to not get caught laughing. "Then months later I saw her at a community center I volunteer at. I saw her and I just knew she was something special, so I took her under my wing and the rest is history." Ruby ends with a pretty sheepish smile.

"That's it? Doesn't sound to complicated to me." Emma mutters.

By the end of the story, Granny looked touched, while Neal was shaking from laughing and Emma couldn't decide whether to laugh or reach across the table and strangle Ruby.

"Oh that is so sweet of you Ruby." Granny was close to tears before speaking.

"She is isn't she." Emma says sarcastically. Neal was shaking hard from laughter.

"Is he okay?" Granny ask looking at Neal in concern.

"Oh yea, he just gets like that whenever he hears the story." Ruby quickly says.

"Okay, well now explain him. Is he your boyfriend or…"

"Oh god no. Eww." Ruby's face scrunches up in disgust.

"Hey!" Neal stops laughing and looks at Ruby almost offended.

"Well why not. He seems like a decent handsome man." Granny says.

"Yea." Neal agrees.

"I don't think man is the best word to describe Neal." Emma snickers. Neal glares at the blonde.

"Granny no, just no. Neal is just a friend. Besides I'm gay remember." Ruby says.

"Oh that's right. Well now do you have a special girl back at home?" Granny asks interested in her granddaughter's life.

"No Granny there's no girl." Ruby answers.

"Oh" Granny says side glancing to Emma. "Ruby you're not…you know…with her are you?" Granny asks looking at Emma.

"What?!" Ruby shrieks. The people in the diner look at them. Emma and Neal snicker.

"It's okay if you are, dear. I'm sure she'll be 18 soon, but just please keep your hormones under control in public. We don't want you getting arrested for being with a minor." Granny says and that just makes Neal and Emma burst out laughing.

"No Granny there is nothing going on between me and Emma." Ruby says

"Oh come on Ruby, don't deny what we have isn't real." Emma teases covering Ruby's hand with her own. Ruby smacks Emma's hand away.

"Oh shut it you." Ruby growls making Emma and Neal laugh even harder. "No Granny like Neal, Emma is just a friend. That's all. A very annoying friend." Ruby says glaring over at her laughing friends.

"Okay, okay fine. You have to tell me twice." Granny says. "Now on to business. Here's my compromise." Granny says getting to business. The three stopped their fooling away and paid attention. "Now I know you don't know how long you will be staying here, so I'll let you stay here and eat here for free…" when Granny says this, the three's faces lit up in excitement and shock. "…But…" and their faces were back to neutral. "…first: Ruby,…" She points to Ruby. "…you will be working for me. Here, as a waitress." "Ruby nods. "And you young lady…" She points to Emma. "…are to be registered and in school by tomorrow. It's a quick process, so it wont take you long." Granny says.

"Whoa granny say what now?" Emma looks shocked and confused.

"As you've said you don't know how long you're staying here. It might be a week or longer, either way you are to attend school if you want to stay and eat here. There are no drop outs in my house." Granny says making no room for argument. Emma gapes at her not knowing what to say.


"I can't go to school!" Emma exclaims as she paces the floor of their room.

"You have to Em. That's the only way Granny will let us stay." Ruby says.

"Yea, but…but what about you Rubes. I-I mean you're like one of the smartest tech geniuses out there. Now you're being booted down to witnessing and washing tables. Come on that's got to be a bit of a step down right." Emma says hoping to rally up troops.

"Well it's not really that bad. I mean I worked as a waitress when I was trying to get you bail money so…not really a problem for me." Ruby shrugs.

"Oh come on!"

"Em, really what's the big deal. High school's not that bad." Neal says.

"Yea well I wouldn't know." Emma mutters.

"What?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't… I don't remember high school." Emma says suddenly a little shy.

"Seriously?" Neal asks shocked. Emma nods. "Whoa. Well what better way to make up for it." Neal says as his face lights up.

"Okay what's he getting at here?" Emma asks looking at Ruby who just shrugs also pretty interested in their friends strange idea.

"No no no, really this is great. So you go to school, make friends, join a team or something, date the pretty popular girls, and basically you take over the school in your senior year. It's brilliant." Neal says excitedly. Emma and Ruby look at him confused.

"What? Neal no, that wasn't the plan…" Emma starts to say.

"Yea well it should be. Look Em, we don't know how long we're staying here. Hell we don't even know if what the kid is talking about is legit. So why not…I don't know…have a little vacation."

"You call this a vacation?" Emma says with raised eyebrow.

"Well not exactly, but what could it hurt? Come on Em, this is the chance to relive one of the greatest times of our lives. Now how can you do that if you never experience it?"

"I always thought one of the greatest moments of my life would be to see my kid being born. You know if I had one." Emma says. A little confused as to why of all things she said that.

"I mean in teenage life Em. Come on seriously what could it hurt." Neal says.

Emma sits on the bed and thinks over what Neal said. She has to admit he does have a point. She couldn't remember anything from her high school life, maybe this was a way to relive it. Or even to just make new memories. Maybe do some things she's always wanted to do, but couldn't because she thought it was to late. What if that's why she's like this now. His was a chance for her to relive what she missed. Kind of weird, but it makes sense right. It's like starting your life over, but doing it right this time. What harm could it do, right?

"Oh alright I'll do it." Emma says.

"YESS!" Neal cheers.

"Well with that being said. I think we should hit the hay. Gotta get up early and come up with some transfer papers for you." Ruby says walking over to one of the beds. "Call dibs on bed!"

"DIBS!" Emma yells jumping on the other bed before Neal could get to it.

"What…aw man." Neal pouts before heading over to the couch.

"Snooze you lose Nealy boy." Emma snickers.

"You guys suck." Ruby and Emma laughs.

"Night Losers." Emma says turning out the light on the bedside table beside her.

"Night" Ruby and Neal say as Ruby turned off her light and the three went to bed all anticipating the day that would great them the next morning.


Meanwhile… moments ago…

After running away from the three adults…well two adults and one teenager, Henry ran home. It was time to really set his plan into motion.

As he ran up the walk way of his house, the door flies open and out walked his mom. She was dressed in a business outfit which consist of a tailored black pencil skirt, a silk white shirt and a black blazer that goes. Her beautiful short brunette hair stopped pass her shoulders. Though she was a frantic mother worrying about the whereabouts of her son, she looked like she just came out of a magazine shoot.

"Henry!" she jogs up to him, pulling him into a tight hug. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick!" she says frantically.

"I found her." Henry says

"Found who honey? Where have you been?" she says.

"My dad…or mom I guess. I found her." Henry says.

Regina looks at her son confused and shocked.

"Henry, what…what are you talking about?"

"I found my other mom."

"Henry sweetie, you don't have other mother. I'm your only mother…wait is that where you've been this whole time?"

"Yea, that's what I'm trying to tell you. I did some tests and I found…" Henry starts but is cut off by Regina.

"Henry I don't know who or what you think you found, but they are by no reason your parent." Regina says sternly.

"But mom you don't understand…" Henry tries again.

"No I understand perfectly.

Now you get in the house young man." Regina says pointing to the house.

Henry huffs, but storms back into the house. Regina sighs walking behind him. She was just happy he was home safe.

End of Chapter 3


Lots more twist and turns to come. :)

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