This is a quick shout out to everyone who reads, reviews, and just plain puts up with my erratic posting. Thanks, y'all.


Mary Margaret pressed herself against the wall outside her apartment, thoroughly startled. She took a breath then entered the apartment, closing the door behind her. She hung her purse on the inside doorknob, then rushed to the kitchen when her eyes caught on the blonde curls splayed across the table.

"Emma! Emma, what happened? Emma?"

Emma's head flew up, her eyes wide. When she saw Mary Margaret she exhaled loudly in an exaggerated sigh, pushing her hair out of her face and stretching. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

Mary Margaret stopped where she was, sighed in relief, then hurried over to sit across from Emma. "Am I seeing things or did I just see the mayor rush out of the apartment in your-" she stopped short when she caught sight of Emma's face. "My god, what happened?"

"What?" Then she noticed a chunk of apple that had apparently fallen out of her hair onto the table. "Oh. That."

Mary Margaret stared at Emma for a moment, waiting for explanation. When none was offered she got up to find the first aid kit.

Emma placed her head back on her arms.


A minute later Emma was seated on the couch, Mary Margaret perched on the coffee table in front of her. She dabbed at the laceration with a cotton swab.

"Ow, that stings!"

"That means it's working. Hold still." A silent moment passed as Mary Margaret gently disinfected Emma's cheek, her tongue sticking out just a tad as she concentrated.

"Why are you home already anyway?"

"School was cancelled this afternoon. Some kid was missing for a while, then they found him on the roof. When they asked him how he got up there he said he'd climbed a beanstalk or something."

"Missing kid and they didn't call the sheriff?"

"They were going to, but then somebody got hit in the head by an egg dropped from the roof, they figured out he was up there, and they called the fire department."

"Hm."

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again.

"Yes?" Emma asked.

"Did you and the mayor…? Never mind. I'm not sure I want to know."

"We didn't slug it out, if that's what you're asking."

Mary Margaret's eyebrow rose questioningly. "So it wasn't Regina who gave you a black eye and a face full of apple pulp?"

"I'm not saying that."

Mary Margaret shook her head.


"I need to get back to work."

"At least let your hair dry first. You'll catch a cold."

"I'll turn the heater on in my car."

"You'll melt your ice pack!"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Bye, Mom."


"Hey kid, how long have you been here alone?"

"I'm not alone. Ruby's been watching me."

Ruby popped up from behind the desk on which Henry was perched. "Hi Emma! I was just reorganizing your-" She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the black eye. "What happened?"

"She got into a fight with my mom again." Henry answered before Emma could speak.

Emma turned to Henry. "What makes you say that?"

"It's what happened, isn't it? When the bus dropped me off at home Mom was walking across the lawn all beat-up and wearing sweat pants, and when I asked her what happened she told me to go ask you. So I called and asked Ruby to take me over here, and when you weren't here Ruby said she'd wait with me. She even bought me Twizzlers!" he said, holding up the half-eaten pack. He glared at Ruby when she quickly grabbed a Twizzler and bit it with a cheeky grin.

"Hey!"

Ruby licked the length of it, then held it out. "Want it back?"

"Not now."

Emma smiled. "Settle down, kids."

Ruby indignigantly exclaimed "Hey, I'm twenty-six!" at the exact same time as Henry used the excuse "Hey, I'm ten."

The blonde couldn't suppress a chuckle, but the grin faded as she realized something. "Hey kid, what did you mean 'again'?"

"Like I didn't see the marks on both of your faces the day after Graham died. It doesn't take a genius to figure out you two went at it, then and now."

"Hey, your mother and I did not just get into a brawl. She-" Emma cut herself off with a sigh. "Have her explain."

"Whatever. She acted weird earlier, just like last time."

Emma considered something for a moment, then seemed to make up her mind.

"Hey Rubes, can you keep an eye on Henry for a bit longer? I need to check on something."

Ruby nodded with an eager smile.

"And Henry, you keep an eye on Ruby." Emma added with a wink on her way out the door. The kid grinned as Ruby faked offense.

"She's checking on my mom." Henry said matter-of-factly as soon as Emma had left.

"Yup. They're totally together, even if they don't know it yet." Ruby replied in the same tone of voice.

Henry turned slowly to Ruby, eyes wide and incredulous.

She simply gave him a look that said "What?"


I feel like Henry's a bit out of character somehow, but I don't know. I'm kinda experimenting with playing with some of the other characters in this chapter, so let me know if anyone feels OOC.