The day dragged on for Emery. He looked at his watch every 15 minutes or so. A behavior that wasn't lost on his sister. She kept her mouth shut however, because she knew her brother but she also knew Regina Mills. The woman was a powerhouse of intelligence and beauty, and the youngest mayor in the history of the little town, a fact that wasn't lost on any of the towns' inhabitants. Her brother was just out of a serious relationship and she figured that he was on the rebound looking for someone to hook up with and she also knew that Regina Mills wasn't a woman to just hook up with. Mary Margaret had a feeling that Regina was a woman with long term on her mind. So she just let her brother sit there at the kitchen counter bouncing his leg and checking his watch like it was a lifeline.

"Would you like something to eat?" She said making Emery jump off the stool.

"No thanks M. Where did David go?" his sister's boyfriend had left about thirty minutes earlier and had yet to return.

"He went to work. He told you bye." She giggled.

"Oh, guess I wasn't paying attention."

"You think?" she stated under her breathe.

"So what does lover boy do when he isn't swooning over a particular school teacher?" Emery questioned as he grabbed an apple off the counter.

"He runs the animal shelter. He got divorced about a year ago and needed something to occupy his time. So he started to volunteer at the animal shelter and when the elderly man that ran it died he took over."

"Wait he's divorced?"

"Yes. But it was amicable and there were no children involved."

"Do you know why they got divorced?"

"Not that it's any of your business but they just fell out of love. They were different people than when they got married."

"It is my business you're my sister. Weren't you just giving me relationship advice earlier on my non-existent relationship with Regina?"

"That's different. You're the little brother I'm supposed to watch out for you, Plus Regina Mills isn't a one and done type of woman."

"Wow. Ok. So I'm going to forget that you just assumed that I am trying to just nail this woman who I just met and don't even know. You're right it is none of my business you're just my sister so I have to look out for you regardless your age. But just so we are clear it's none of yours if I want to hook up or date anyone in this town." He asserted as he got up to leave.

"Wait, stop. I'm sorry. You're right. I just have had to defend this relationship to most people since we started this thing. I just want what's best for you."

"And I want the same for you. If you say that the split was friendly and that there are no hard feelings then I believe you and if you are happy with him then you don't have to defend anything to me. All I want is to forget about the past few weeks and the topsy turvy feeling in my gut and the cold steel in my heart." He sobbed the last part as his sister came across the room to hold him as he cried.

"Sshh everything is going to be ok. You are going to be ok. You are a strong man Emery the strongest I have ever known. If she couldn't see that then that is her problem not yours. She is the one in the wrong Emery not you." She said as she held her 6'5" brother as best as she could.

"You tell no one about this." He said as he straightened up and wiped his face with his shirt.

"Never." She giggled.

"I have a rep to protect." He chuckled

"What time are you supposed to meet Regina?"

"Um…Four." he answered as he looked at his watch for the thousandth time.

"Ok well David doesn't get off till six. Do you want to go get lunch at the diner? I know you said you weren't hungry…"

"No that's fine let's go." He interrupted.

As he got his stuff together and his sister grabbed her purse and sweater he couldn't help but think that maybe she was right and that maybe just maybe everything would be ok.

The diner was still packed with people mostly the same ones that were there earlier that morning. He figured a lot of these people were set in their ways, plus as far as he could tell from the short walk from his sister's apartment that this was one of the only diners in the town. When they walked in together everyone greeted his sister and she in turn introduced everyone to her little brother. When they finally got seated in a booth he could feel the stares coming from across the diner. It was none other than Ruby the waitress he had met this morning except now he got the distinct impression that she was mentally undressing him. She smiled at him and walked over to take their order.

"Nice to see you again." Ruby purred.

"You too." Said Emery as he studied the sparse menu.

"You two know each other?" questioned his sister suspiciously.

"She waited on me this morning when I came into town."

"Oh. Well I would like a Cobb salad and a sweet tea." Said Mary Margaret.

"I would like a double cheeseburger with bacon no tomato and a water with lime."

"Sure be right out." Ruby sauntered back to the kitchen to put in their orders.

"No." Mary Margaret stated plainly.

"No, what?"

"She is off limits. She's my best friend but once she gets her hooks into you she will drive you crazy. She is a special brand of crazy."

"Yea I got that vibe this morning. I can feel her undressing me with her eyes."

"You're fresh meat Emery. She wants the challenge."

"What challenge I don't want to hook up with her or date her." He whispered when Ruby came to the table with their drinks.

"That's the challenge." Explained Mary Margaret.

"Frankly I don't want to hook up or date anyone for a while. I just want to relax, write, and decompress."

"That's what I want for you. Plus I want to hear another Emery Swan original. You're songs are amazing Emery. You haven't written anything since…"

"Yea not since mom died. I try but nothing sounds right anymore. Plus with work, you wouldn't believe the crime rate in Boston. I was kept busy with my case load. Maybe that's why…"

"Don't you dare finish that thought. You are not to blame little brother. You are a great man. She was a slut." Mary Margaret said flatly.

"Tell me how you really feel." Emery chuckled.

"I liked her but I always felt that there was something shifty about Sara from the get go."

"You never said anything. Did everybody see it and just fail to tell me?" Emery questioned as his voice rose slightly.

"Would it have mattered if we did? Would you have listened?"

Emery sat there for a minute and thought. He thought of the past two years and all of the red flags that he just ignored. Would it have mattered if his sister told him she didn't like Sara? Would he have ended it then?

"Honestly…no. I don't think it would have mattered or stopped me from being with her. That's the shitty part. Even after everything that she put my through these past couple of years I still would have stuck by her. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment."

"You were in love. Remember what mom always said about the love bubble. That you and her are the only ones that exist. I want things for you Em. Things that I'm sure you'll find in time. Take that time, relax, enjoy yourself, write, do what you need to get back to you." Mary Margaret said as she took his hands in hers and tried to convey everything she felt in that one little gesture.

"Here's your food." Interrupted Ruby.

"Thanks." They both said as they separated.

"Oh and Emery. Here's my number call me sometime and I'll be sure to show you around Storybrooke and have a good time."

"Uh thanks. I'm supposed to meet Regina here in a little bit to do the same thing. The tour part." Emery stuttered.

"Regina Mills?"

"Yea." Why was it so hard to believe that Regina was doing something nice? It was definitely something that he was going to try and bring up when he saw her.

"Well keep my number if you get bored and want a real tour." She winked and walked away with a little extra sway in her hips.

"Oh boy." He sighed as he tucked into his burger, while his sister silently ate her salad with a smirk.

Regina had helped her mom clean the kitchen and decided that she should head back to Storybrooke if she was going to make it there by 4. There was a feeling in her stomach that she couldn't quite place, she dismissed it and went to find her son.

"Henry." She yelled as she walked down the hall to the playroom her parents had set up for Henry.

"Yea mommy?" he answered as he came barreling out his playroom.

"I'm about to head back home but I'm meeting someone when I get there. Do you want to come with me and let me take you to stay with Miss Belle or do you want to stay here with Nan and Grampa?" she asked but she was certain that she already knew the answer.

"Can I stay the night?" he questioned.

"You need to ask Nan." Regina knew that it wouldn't be a problem but she wanted to teach her son respect and manners even at his young age.

"Nan?" he yelled as he skipped off to find his grandmother.

"In here my little prince." Cora answered from the living room."

"Nan can I spend the night?" he asked then got down on both knees and put his hands together a mockingly begged and pouted.

"Well I guess if you're going to pout like that." She chuckled.

"Thank you thank you thank you." Henry squealed as he gave his grandmother a hug and ran toward the front door to get his bag out of his mother's car.

"Hold on little man." Regina said as she hurried off to help him get his things.