A/N Okay, so this chapter and the next few are sort of filler to get me to where I need to be to continue with the story I'm trying to tell. So, I'm sorry if they seem a bit random and not very well put together, I'm trying my very best to keep it interesting and maintain some sort of character development. Reviews would be very much appreciated, it has been lovely to open my inbox this week and see so many positive messages. In a couple of chapters time there's going to be a time jump because if there isn't this is all going to get very mundane. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Emma had woken to the smell of breakfast at Granny's, after seeing how busy the diner already was at 7am she had decided to go for her run before she ate. Emma was so focused on her thoughts as she ran towards the beach that she didn't notice the person standing before her until she'd nearly run them over.

'Shit, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.'

'That's perfectly alright, I was quite lost in mine also. It's a beautiful morning to be out on the beach.'

'Yes, it is, running on the beach on days like these is one of my favourite things to do, it's why I've always lived near the coast.'

'I must admit, I've never left Storybrooke, it has always been home and the beach is a huge part of my reason for never moving on. I'm Mary Margaret by the way, I teach at the school.'

'Nice to meet you I'm…' This was the point in conversation where Emma would introduce herself as Miss Swan, make small talk for a couple of minutes and move on with her life. However, from the number of already familiar faces she'd seen when she left the diner earlier that morning, she figured she was in the kind of place where she wasn't going to be able to hide her name for long. As she thought about it she realised that it didn't scare her anymore, telling someone her name hadn't caused her world to collapse, in fact it had provided her with a wonderful evening shared with a beautiful family. Maybe opening up wasn't so bad. '…Emma, Emma Swan, I'm new.'

'What a beautiful name' Mary Margaret smiled 'Well Emma Swan, I was just going for breakfast at Granny's, would you like to join me?'

Emma couldn't understand how she had entered a town that was quite so welcoming. Part of her was regretting having never found it before and part of her knew that if she had found it before she would probably never have stayed.

'I'd love to, I was going to eat there yesterday but I barely got a sip of my coffee before I spilled it down the mayor and by that point I was too mortified to sit and eat. Maybe today they'll have forgotten who I am?'

'In Storybrooke? I'm sorry but I doubt it. Anyone who wasn't in the diner yesterday already knows about "the blonde spilling on the mayor." It's the talk of the town.'

Emma held her head in her hands, 'Seriously!?'

Mary Margaret linked her arm through Emma's and the pair began the walk back to Granny's.

'I'm afraid so. I still can't understand how it is that a newcomer to the town spilled her coffee all over the mayor and has lived to tell the tale?'

'What do you mean?'

'Well, as the story goes, you spun around and spilled your drink all over one of her immaculate blouses and the first thing she did was smile at you… The only time any of us have seen the mayor smile in public is when she's looking at Henry. Everyone is just confused about how a newbie managed to get a smile out of her by spilling their drink.'

'Wait, are you telling me that Madam Mayor is a stone faced bitch?'

'I wouldn't say stone faced b-, but she doesn't really seem to like anyone in the town, she tolerates those that serve a purpose; Graham, Ruby, me occasionally but other than that she just, well she keeps herself to herself and only talks to people she needs to.'

'I'm a little confused… Are you sure we're talking about the same person? The woman you're talking about sounds like a piece of work. The woman I'm talking about invited me to dinner last night and then allowed me to intrude on her film night with her son and then threw popcorn at me.'

Mary Margaret's mouth dropped open. 'Well, I don't know what it is you're doing but keep doing it, with any luck you'll turn the mayor into someone the town can actually talk to.'

'I'm not doing anything.' Emma got on the defensive, 'I spilled my coffee down her, offered her a shirt as an apology and then happened to be invited for dinner. I did what any good person would.'

'Well maybe that's just it. The mayor has been so bitter since…' Mary Margaret bit her lip. 'She's always been so bitter that no one has ever really tried to be nice to her. Maybe because you're new and know nothing about her, maybe you being nice has put a chip in her armour.'

'The mayor's been bitter since when?' Emma wouldn't usually pry but from what Mary Margaret was saying her new friend had a story and she wanted to know what it was before she managed to upset her.

'It's not my place to say, I shouldn't even have said that much.'

Emma and Mary Margaret arrived outside the diner, Mary Margaret pulled open the door hoping that their arrival would put a stop to this conversation before she said something else that she shouldn't. On hearing the bell above the door ring Ruby waltzed out from the kitchen with menus in hand.

'Hey Rubes, table for two please.'

'Sure thing M and M' Ruby replied with a wink. The two women followed Ruby to their table.

'I'm Ruby by the way, but my friends call me Rubes and if you're hanging out with M and M I'm pretty sure you can call me Rubes. What should I call you?'

'She's Emma, she's the one that spilled the coffee on the mayor.'

'Oh I know what she did M and M, I was just going to spare her the embarrassment.' Mary Margaret flushed 'I'm sure Madam Mayor has already put her in her place, we all saw them disappear upstairs together' Ruby winked again.

'You told me it was dinner and a film, is that what the kids are calling it these days?' Mary Margaret looked amused and horrified at the same time.

'What!? No. Nothing happened, I loaned the mayor a blouse, she told me to drop it by later so I went over, ended up staying for dinner and then Henry invited me to stay for film night.' Emma blew a hair out of her face and picked up her menu.

'Alright Ems, cool it, we're just teasing. Honestly it's just nice to hear the mayor hasn't bitten anyone's head off in the last 48 hours. She was going crazy when Henry went missing. Anyway, what'll it be?'

'The usual please Rubes.'

'I guess I'll have whatever she's having.'

Ruby sauntered her way back to the kitchen as Mary Margaret turned to Emma with an apologetic smile. 'I didn't mean to embarrass you Emma, I'm sorry.'

'It's fine, you didn't. I get it, I'm the newbie in a place full of people who know each other and everything that is going on. It's like being in a zoo, being looked at all the time. It's just, it reminds me of another time in my life and I'd rather not be reminded.'

'I can't tell you that you're not going to be looked at, but I can promise you that you've already made at least four friends. You seem like a lovely person and I'm sure the town will get the chance to see that soon enough. How long are you staying?'

Emma was surprised to learn that in less than 48 hours she had made three more friends than she ever had in her life. 'Indefinitely.'

'Have you got a job?'

'Nope, not currently, guess I'd better start looking fairly soon, I can't keep paying Granny's prices on no salary.'

'We've got a spare room? David, my husband and I, you could stay with us? I mean it wouldn't be rent free but I could at least let you off until you find a job?'

'Thanks Mary Margaret, I appreciate it but I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your husband.'

'Is M and M trying to get you into her spare room?' Ruby asked as she put a plate of pancakes down in front of each woman. 'She's been trying to get me in there for ages but Granny needs me here. I'd take it if I were you, it's a great room, it's better than the dingy ones here at the B&B. Her breakfasts aren't as good but she makes a damn good tea, tea for any occasion this woman.' Ruby slung an arm around her friend's shoulder and squeezed lovingly.

'I'll think about it.' Emma said 'I think I'd need to take a look at it first, and meet your husband?' Emma took a bite of her pancakes. 'Damn Ruby, these pancakes are good, they might be one of the best things I've ever tasted.'

'Funny Miss Swan,' a sultry voice came from behind Emma and Mary Margaret's booth 'I could have sworn you told me the same last night?' Regina raised one perfect eyebrow. Ruby nudged Mary Margaret and thrust her hips once. Mary Margaret slapped her friend playfully on the arm and bit her lip to stifle a giggle.

'I – ' Emma started.

'It's true,' Henry's voice saved Emma from attempting to dig herself out of a hole someone else had made for her 'She said Mom's lasagne was the best thing she'd ever tasted.'

Ruby and Mary Margaret ducked their heads and had the decency to look ashamed of themselves for implying what they had while Henry was around.

'Would you mind if we joined you? It's awfully busy in here and I don't like to sit at the bar, it hurts my back.' Ruby looked shocked by the mayor's request but quickly left to grab another set of menus, while Henry scooted in next to Mary Margaret before either woman at the table had a chance to respond. Emma shuffled up to give Regina space to sit down. As Regina took her seat her hand brushed against Emma's and her heart fluttered, she quickly pulled it away in favour of holding the menu that Ruby had just brought her. The mayor could already see that her feelings for the blonde were more than friendly but she didn't want to give this away to her son and Ruby; the two most perceptive people in town.