Emma woke up on the 22nd of October 2011 with two children and two toddlers sitting on her bed bouncing and shaking her to awaken. She groaned and heard Neal chuckled from the doorway.

"Kids, leave your mother be," he warned gently and Emma allowed her eyes to flutter open at his voice, a smile gracing her features.

The bouncing and loud voices quickly quieted down until eventually it was silent.

"But it's her birthday," Henry complained.

"So she has to get up," Aprielle tacked on in her 6 year old innocence.

The twins, Lacey and Logan, nodded firmly in agreement.

"Well, your attempts we're successful so how about we quieten down now," Neal suggested and hearing footsteps, Emma turned her head to the doorway to see her husband coming toward the bed holding a tray.

"What's this?" she asked softly, pushing herself up on the bed so her back rested against the head board.

"We made breakfast!" Lacey exclaimed.

"Happy birthday!" the children all yelled it at once as Neal placed the breakfast try on her lap, pressing a soft kiss on his wife's cheek and whispering, "took some blackmailing and begging at the desk to let them."

Emma smiled motherly over at them as they all scrambled around the bed so she could easily eat without elbowing one of them, "thank you."

Neal sat on bed beside her, pulling Logan onto his lap. Emma smiled up at him as she chewed on some scrambled eggs and toast - so simple that the kids could make them (she and Neal would never let them use the stove or grill - Emma had had to cook in her foster home when she was seven, the same age Henry was now, and she had burnt herself repeatedly).

"So," Neal said as she ate, "what do you want to do today?"

The kids all turned their attention to their mother, who shook her head.

"We don't need to do anything! Let's just have a lazy day," Emma knew that wasn't going to happen. They had come up to New York for the first time for Emma's birthday and having spent the last few days sightseeing, the kids were hyped up from cotton candy and other foods that you could buy just walking around the city but Emma and Neal were exhausted. They'd left yesterday and come up to Boston, just for a change for the last few days of the holiday.

"How about we take a drive?" Neal suggested. "Find somewhere, have lunch, maybe somewhere by the sea" - he winked at Emma - "and your Mom can open her presents."

The kids seemed up for that and Emma smiled - that would keep them entertained.

"Okay but you're driving!" she laughed, she'd never be able to resist a beach.

Once Emma had finished eating, Neal and the kids already had whilst she was sleeping (Emma was very grateful for having a few rooms in hotel), they all pilled out and into the car - they'd gotten rid of their little yellow car years ago, it just wasn't practical although both Emma and Neal were sad to see a part of their past together.

They had driven for at least three hours, plus time for stopping, before Emma instructed Neal that the next place they saw they would eat in. Neal agreed readily, he was getting both hungry and bored of driving. Being the one driving and because Emma was playing with the kids, Neal saw the sign first and felt his whole body tense up.

"Storybrooke"

Either that was a stupidly named town and Neal was being paranoid or this was where all those people from the Enchanted Forest were trapped. He slowed down slightly. Selfishly, he didn't want to drive into that town; going into that town would mean their family would be turned into turmoil and they might never get back to the normal, happy family they were at this very moment. There was nowhere to turn off though and he knew he wouldn't be able to anyway - Emma deserved to know her parents, the people in that town didn't need to be cursed, she could save them. He just prayed as he drove past the sign that no one would know who he was.

It was a surprisingly long drive past the sign until they actually saw buildings - the kids cheered at the prospect of food - but they never actually got to them. The car shuddered and Emma and Neal glanced at each other in worry. Neal gave it a few revs but the car simple spluttered and died.

"Damn magic," Neal growled far too low for Emma to make out as anything other than a noise of frustration as he turned the key a few times.

"I guess we're walking," Emma said, cheerfully upbeat whilst the twins groaned - they'd already done so much walking that day and their three year old legs were tuckered out, even six year old Aprielle's leg were getting tired, Henry was the only one still going strong.

They had the double pram because they knew that the kids could get tired so after putting Logan and Lacey in there they sent off toward the town. Neal feeling his apprehension growing with every step he took: now they had no way out. It didn't take long for Aprielle to begin to lag so Neal scooped her up into his arms, that was barely ten minutes into in and they had a good 15 left.

By the time they finally entered the town, the twins were asleep in the pram and Aprielle on her father's shoulder, and it was barely five minute before Henry knocked someone over in his haste of looking around the new place.

"I'm sorry!" Emma called out automatically as the papers in the woman's arms went flying and ran forward toward Henry who had already stopped and apologised to the woman.

She was young, barely 30, with short black hair and hazel eyes. Her appearance caused Neal to drawn in a breath. There was no questioning who this was - she looked remarkably like Emma and even more so like the black haired girl sleeping on his shoulder. Snow White.

"You're new here?" her voice was fitting for a princess.

"Our car broke down, just outside town," Emma explained, taking Henry's hand and pulling him closer so he didn't run off and Neal sighed, she had no idea who she was speaking to. "We're been walking for ages, do you know where we could sit down?"

"Granny's," Snow responded. "I'll show you there, they have a bed and breakfast as well! You'll surely need somewhere to stay whilst Billy fixes your car. I'm Mary-Margaret Blanchard, by the way."

Neal frowned, remember the basics of French he had learned, 'Blanc' was the equivalent of white. There Queen had a sense of irony.

"Emma Cassidy," Neal heard his wife say and reverted his attention to the two women walking back toward him - they had the same chin and eyes (Neal would know those eyes anywhere). "This is my husband, Neal, and our kids Aprielle, Logan and Lacey - you're already met Henry here."

His mother-in-law laughed and Neal smiled, offering his hand, "It's nice to meet you, Mrs Blanchard."

"Miss," Snow corrected him as she shook his hand and he reminded himself of the curse, wondering where Emma's father might be. "I'm not married."

"Sorry," Neal muttered, pulling his hand back and rubbing his head.

"It's fine. Come on, I'll show you to Granny's," Mary-Margaret put the uncomfortable man out of his discomfort and began to lead them away, taking Henry's hand from Emma. "You all look in need of some food and drink."

Neal smiled at Emma and gestured her after them.

"Welcome to Storybrooke, by the way," Snow called over her shoulder.