My mind was going a mile a minute as it listed off everything I needed to do so I could plan my parents surprise, all the while going through a cramped and overflowing apartment. For some reason that morning I had an unusual urge to actually do something with my hair besides a ponytail, So there I sat on the edge of the bathtub curling my hair when mom walked in. "Oh sorry Emma, I didn't know you were in here." Mom apologized as I unwound my hair from the curler and moved on to another small section of my hair. "That's okay, I'm almost done anyway." I announce as I hold the curler in place. After mom silently watched me do my hair for a couple of minutes with a soft smile, she walked up to the sink and started brushing her short hair and getting ready for the day. "Hey mom, what's your favorite color?" I shyly ask as I slowly finish my hair by spraying a small amount of hairspray on my curls. "Blue, like your father's eyes. Why?" Mom answered. "Well, your my mom; and besides taking down the villains we haven't spent a whole lot of time getting to know each other." I say nervously avoiding eye contact as I put the hairspray back in the bathroom cabinet. "You can ask your father and I anything Emma, we want to know you; and for you to know us two. You should have grown up knowing my favorite color is blue and your father's is green, being sung to sleep in my arms, annoying the guards as you snuck around the castle, and having your father and I telling you all about our family." Mom said sadly as we walked out to the kitchen together. That morning grandma had been the first one up, followed shortly by dad. Dad and grandma had been in the kitchen cooking since then, with dad teaching grandma how to use the stove and microwave. "Your just in time, breakfast is ready." Dad greeted as mom and I sat at the breakfast bar. When dad and grandma finished plating everyone's breakfast, dad sat at the end next to mom and grandma sat next to me. The normal morning chatter started, only I tuned it out as I shifted in my chair away from my grandma and focused on eating my chocolate chip pancakes and finishing my glass of chocolate milk. The whole time I could feel grandma's eyes on me, but I completely ignored her. Once I finished I quickly got up and took mom's plate with me to the sink to rinse them off, before I ran upstairs to get dressed for the day.
As I was pulling on my jeans I could hear my parent's talking to grandma. "Emma, just doesn't know how to act around you mother, she's nervous and scared; just please give her time." I heard dad explain to grandma. "She's still learning to let us in as well, and now with Neal hear I hope she doesn't retreat back into her self." I heard mom pray. Shaking of my thoughts on my parents conversation, I dug out my favorite soft cream colored long sleeved sweater, slipped it over my head and went downstairs as I pulled my hair out from under the collar of my sweater. "Sorry to eat and run, but I'm walking Henry to the buss stop this morning and I still need to call a relator so I can find a place. See you at work dad, by mom, by baby bro." I announce as I gave my mom a one armed hug and kissed Neal's bald head. I grabbed my car keys from the island and slipped my red leather jacket on while opening the door, only at the last minute I looked back before the door closed behind me. "Good by...grandma." I called then took off down to my car. A few minutes later I parked my yellow bug in front of the station and walked the few feet back to Granny's to meet up with Henry. "So what's she like?" Henry asked as soon as I sat down across from him in the booth. "Who?" I ask as I wait for my son to finish his hot chocolate. "Grate-Grandma, what is she like?" Henry asked with an obvious duh tone. "Well, I don't know I haven't really talked to her yet; I mean when Killian and I were in the time portal and ended up staying with her she seemed nice." I explain as well as I can while helping Henry grab his things for school. "Well I like her, and I bet she's pretty cool once you get to know her." Henry stated as we walked outside Granny's. "Hey kid before I forget, do you have any place picked out that you want me to look at; I know you were looking at places while grandma was having Neal." I wonder as both Henry and I came to a stop at the buss stop. "No not really, I was thinking though why not a place with a view of the water?" Henry asked just as the buss arrived and opened it's doors. "I'll look into it kid. Oh and don't forget to come to the station after school today!" I remind as he gets on the buss while I shake my head. "Morning lass." I hear behind me as I'm walking back to the station. "Morning Killian." I say smiling as we slowly walk shoulder to shoulder down main street. "How was you first night home lass." Killian asked as we walked together. "It was busy, and loud; my brother woke me up a couple of times with his crying." I explain as I wrap my arm around his. "Ah yes the young prince, how is he?" Killian asked as he pulled me closer. "Well from what little I know of babies, he's fine; vary happy actually." I explain as we reach the station doors. "Killian, I started thinking this morning and I was wondering if you have ever been to a ball?" I shyly ask as Killian opens the door for me to enter before him. "Once when Liam and I were in the royal navy we attended a ball." Killian stated offhand as we walked to my office. "Well I was going to surprise my parents with a ball here in StoryBrook, I just need to talk to a couple people to start planning." I announced after I looked around to make sure dad was still at home.
At lunch time, I made a stop at granny's to get my usual grilled-cheese onion rings and vanilla milkshake, along with a veggie-burger fries and iced tea; then went over to the mayor's office to talk with Regina. "I brought lunch." I announce as I walk into Regina's office and kick the door shut behind me. As usual Regina was sat behind her desk filling out paperwork. "What do you want Swan, I'm working." Regina asked without looking up from the papers in front of her as I sat the take-out bag on the coffee table. "Well I have a question that I would like to ask, but if I do you can't tell my parents or Ruth." I state nervously while unpacking the food as I sat on the couch. "That depends is this something to do with a villain?" Regina asked cautiously as she stood from her desk and came over to sit next to me on the couch. "No nothing like that. I was wondering if you could maybe teach me how to ride a horse?" I ask while I pick at my pile of onion-rings in my lap. when there was no answer right away I looked up to see a vary shocked and surprised Regina starring at me. "I would ask mom or dad, but I want it to be a surprise; and besides your the one who taught mom to ride right." I stated as I blushed. "How do you know I taught Marry Margret to ride?" Regina asked after she finished blinking at me. "Henry told me, and I read it in the storybook." I say as I nibble on my grilled-cheese. "Why the sudden interest in horse ridding?" Regina asked as we sat there eating. "Well when I went back in time through Zelena's time portal, I started to see everything I missed growing up, everything my parents missed out on with me; and what I've been doing to my parents by pushing them away since braking the first curse. And I'm not saying I blame you, because I don't." I explain while I wiped my hand of on a napkin. "I'm free Saturday mornings 10:00-11:30." Regina says as she finishes her burger and I clean up. Within five minutes I walk outside smiling as I mentally check off another item on my list.
When I get back to the station dad was waiting for me by the doors. "We get a call or something?" I ask walking up to him. "Nope, but we are both finished with our paperwork; so I thought that today could be our first sword lesson." Dad said smiling as he tossed a wooden sword at me. "Seriously, I have used the real thing you know." I state as I catch the toy sword. "Oh I know, but your mother wouldn't let me out of the loft until I promised that we would only use these." Dad explained as we climbed into his truck. Soon enough we arrived at the park ware we could see Ashly with her daughter in the sand box. Dad started of by teaching me to block, then we moved on to footing. "So how did you learn to sword fight?" I ask as I block a high blow and shoved him away using my sword. "Well after I left George's kingdom and your mom and I had started our army, I asked Lancelot to teach me; up to five hours a day for a week. "Dad said as he tripped me with his sword and pulled his arm back ready to strike, when I swept his legs out from under him and kicked his sword out of his hands. "Good work Princess." Dad said smiling as I helped him up. After another hour of practice, were sitting on a bench taking a water brake when I got an idea. summing my magic, I transformed my boring wooden toy sword into a real pirate's saber. "What the...Emma what are you doing?!" Dad asked shocked as I checked out my sword turning it this way and that way smiling to myself. "Relax dad, I'm fine." I say rolling my eyes as I magically switch his wooden sword for his real one. "Your mom is going to kill us." Dad mumbled before we shared a grin and started practicing again. Around five we finished our first lesson and went home for dinner, the ride home was filled with laughter jokes and smiles.