"Emma, can I come in?"
Granny calls through the door, but she allows the blonde no time to respond and simply lets herself into the room; frowning at the peculiar scene that greets her. Emma makes a small noise of surprise as she blinks against the light that filters in from the hallway; having been stood in the dark as the sun is now nothing but a red tinge staining the militant line of trees in the distance.
"...What on earth are you doing?"
The old woman growls with a fair note of concern; having expected an irritable- perhaps adolescent- response to the blonde's eventual telling off for her earlier behaviour, but nothing like this.
Not the girl stood all but naked and holding herself as though she were some sort of caged animal expecting a beating.
Pursing her lips, Granny takes control of the situation; closing the bedroom door before flicking on the lights and stalking over to the window to draw the curtains with a brief hiss at Caskett as the cat streaks through the open window with a frightened yowl.
"Miss Swan..."
She muses quietly as the blonde grimaces against the brightness of the light, and she spots the small heap of clothes on the floor, but doesn't proceed to hand them back to the young woman as she presumes there must be a reason Emma no longer wears the expensive material. Instead, she pulls off the light, flowing shirt she wears over her summer dress, and settles it over skinny shoulders, pulling it briskly into place when she is met with little response; the girl casting her eyes down to the floor and clenching her jaw.
"What in god's name happened, child?"
Granny asks as she ushers the blonde over to the chair by the window and waits for her to take a seat. Once Emma complies- keeping her attention carefully lowered to the worn rug on the floor- the grey-haired woman takes up her own seat on the bed; frowning thoughtfully at the girl's remarkably skinny frame.
"Oh, sweetheart, you really do need to put on some weight, you're-"
"-Why won't people just quit fucking saying that?!"
Emma growls, and the older woman opens her mouth scold the blonde for her use of language, but decides to overlook that disgusting word just this once.
"Because, dear, we see-"
"-I don't want to put on weight."
The younger woman hisses angrily, and Granny raises a brow as the blonde crosses her arms over her ribs and digs her fingers cruelly into the taut flesh of her stomach.
"... I see."
She nods, although she imagines she doesn't actually 'see' at all. She has had similar conversations with Ruby- and she suspects that it might be something to do with her age whereby she is of the strong belief that most of the younger girls in town could do with adopting a more wholesome figure- when the young brunette makes her almost monthly declaration that she plans to go on a diet. With Ruby, such fanciful adamancy might last for a day or two- eating ridiculous concoctions of celery, greek yoghurt and who knows what else- before all normality is restored and she finds herself in frequent trouble for pilfering from the pantry. It seems simply to be something that young girls say these days...
But she doesn't think things are quite so straightforward when it comes to the young woman the Mayor brought to town.
Not at all.
"Don't do that, girl, you'll hurt yourself."
She warns quietly as she watches the blonde pinch at the flesh of her stomach beneath the shield of her arms.
Emma does as she's told, sniffing, and lowering her hands down into her lap; angry, red marks littering pale skin and the older woman sighs.
"What happened with you and Ruby? I need you to tell me, as I hope you're grown up enough to appreciate that I can't allow the kind of language and behaviour exhibited earlier... And, I imagine you are grown up enough, my dear; I imagine you might have quite a lead on Ruby when it comes to such things... But I still need an explanation, Emma, or I'm going to have to have words with the Mayor."
"Please don't..."
"I don't want to... But you need to give me a reason not to, little one."
"I... I don't know."
Emma growls angrily; fully aware that this isn't a sufficient answer, and yet having no clue what else she can offer on the subject. To be honest, she doesn't really know what happened herself... Things had just all... Gotten out of hand...
"Well, I think you should come along, it will be cool."
Billy offers as he sits on the blonde's bed beside the waitress and smiles up at the young newcomer who perches in the chair by the window.
"What kind of event is it, though? I didn't know you guys even had Miners, let alone a Day for them."
"Oh, it's more just a fair, and some stalls and stuff. It's nothing much, but it can be a laugh. Storybrooke's kind of lame when it comes to things to do, but, it's okay I guess."
"I really like it, it's... I dunno... Quaint."
"Exactly! That's the problem!"
Ruby interjects with a theatrical sigh.
"Well, why don't you guys go down to Bangor or something? It's not that far, and there's loads to do in the city."
"I don't know... I guess we just... Never get round to it."
The brunette frowns, and Billy nods in agreement.
"Anyway, Granny probably wouldn't let me... She never lets me do anything!"
Ruby grumbles, and the blonde smiles as she pulls her legs up in front of her with a yawn.
"She just doesn't want you getting into trouble."
"Well, how am I going to learn any important life lessons if I can't make any mistakes?"
The waitress argues with a small smirk.
"That is an excellent point; I think you should open your argument with that. 'Granny, I want to go and make a shitload of mistakes to better myself as a human being'... It's a flawless proposal!"
Emma grins, and Billy chuckles appreciatively as he tells the brunette he wishes to be present when this conversation takes place.
Rolling her eyes, Ruby sticks her tongue out at the younger woman before enquiring curiously
"You must have made some though if you were allowed to live on your own?"
"Gee, thanks..."
"Come on; what's the worst thing you ever did?"
"I... I don't know..."
The blonde shrugs uncomfortably, and Ruby groans theatrically before taking up centre stage with her own stories on the subject with the occasional flirtatious giggle directed at the smiling young man beside her, causing the younger woman to smirk in amusement.
... And it had all been fine...
Until the conversation had taken a turn back to what Storybrooke might have to offer in the long term.
"Anyway, it's boring as hell, but I guess people are nice and stuff. It's a nice place to live and, like, raise a family."
"Woah, there!"
Billy chuckles at the brunette as she gets rather alarmingly ahead of herself. Pushing him gently with a salacious smile, Ruby turns to the blonde and asks for her opinion on the matter.
"You know what I mean! Or, at least you do, right, Emma? I mean, there's a nice school, and a nice park and everyone looks out for everyone else. It's nice!"
"... I guess."
"Exactly! I dunno; I can't wait to have kids, and have them all running around downstairs driving Granny nuts."
She smirks at the notion, before addressing the younger woman amiably.
"What about you? How many do you want?"
"... I've never thought about it."
"Oh, come on, of course, you have!"
"No."
"Well think about it now then!"
The brunette giggles; mistaking the dark look Emma throws her for embarrassment at being questioned in front of Billy and enjoying the ease with which the blonde can be wound up.
"No. This conversation is boring... Let's talk about something else..."
Emma growls, and the waitress frowns; not appreciating being spoken to in such a way, nor the bossy dismissal in the younger woman's tone.
"No, we're talking about this. Don't be a bitch about it."
She snaps irritably; not used to losing her position as top dog in social settings, particularly to a girl both younger than herself and who comes from out of town and should just be damn glad she's being included...
After all... I've gone out of my way to be nothing but super nice to her...
Turning to Billy with a roll of her eyes, she relays the same question pointedly to the young man, who opens his mouth to answer but adopts a wary silence when the blonde pushes herself from her chair and barks angrily
"I thought I told you to shut up about that! It's a stupid conversation, and none of us are having kids, so why the fuck do we need to talk about it!?"
"Calm the hell down! Geez! What is your problem?!"
Ruby cries with a scowl, although she feels a small sense of disquiet as the younger woman's stance is just a little threatening, and, rather than the bitchiness she'd called Emma out on, she catches a dark breed of fury in pretty, green eyes that confuses her.
Still, she is only young herself, and her eventual response is to refuse the blonde the satisfaction of showing her up in front of Billy.
"My problem is that you aren't fucking listening! I don't want to talk about it! It's that simple!"
"Well, sorry, princess, but it isn't all about you! Chill out! You're acting like a total psychopath! I mean, shit! It was just a fun question! You don't have to freak out about it!"
"It wasn't fun! I just told you it wasn't fun! I told you to shut up!"
"And what gives you the right to do that?! God, I thought you were alright, but you're fucking nuts! I mean, what the hell!? People with proper, mental issues act the way you're acting! Do you realise how crazy you sound? You're acting like you lost a damn kid or something-"
"-Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
"We... We had an argument."
Emma mutters down at her knees as Granny waits impatiently for an explanation.
"Well, that much was obvious!"
The grey-haired woman sighs, before adopting a kinder tone.
"I know Ruby can be a little much sometimes. You two girls seemed to really hit it off, but she is about as extroverted as you seem introverted. Sometimes you just need to take her with a pinch of salt, dear, and hold your breath and count to five."
"I... I should have..."
The blonde sniffs, and Granny nods as she pulls the pillows that litter the floor back onto the bed.
"Yes, you should have... But she shouldn't have pushed you."
"She didn't push me."
"With her words, Miss Swan. She should have left well enough alone if things were getting out of hand... She means well-"
"-I know that, and I didn't mean to-"
"-hush, let me finish. She means well, but I don't see any excuse for what happened... Whatever it was that happened. In all of my years, I haven't walked into the aftermath of a childish falling out to find one of the culprits stood fretting in their underwear in the godforsaken dark!... I won't ask you again, girl, as to why you might be in the state you're in- you're proud, and that's an admirable quality for someone your age- but I will ask you to at least show me some sort of sign that you understand that- stranger or not- you can come and talk to me if you need to."
"... I understand."
"But you're not going to."
"... I can't."
"Well... I hope you change your mind, Emma. If not to me, then to someone else here in town. We may do things a little slower than they like back in Boston, but most people here are a decent sort. We look after our own... And, as long as you're living under this roof, that includes you, too."
"... I can stay?"
"Yes, dear, you can stay."
Granny sighs with an exasperated rolling of her eyes; never having truly meant it when threatening to send the younger woman off on her way.
"... I'm sorry I didn't help out tonight, Ms Lucas."
"Granny to you, dear, as I said when we met... And you are forgiven, but I do expect you to come down tomorrow morning, regardless of your situation with Ruby."
"I will."
"Good... Now, get yourself dressed; I believe these might be the last few days of this hellishly hot summer, but it's still not quite warm enough to be sitting around in your underwear. The Mayor bought you some clothes, didn't she?"
"Yeah."
"They looked very nice on you. Are you going to have a problem with wearing them?"
"No, it's fine. I like them."
"Good, then show it by covering yourself up; I'm getting cold just looking at you."
"I will."
"Are you going to come down for some dinner?"
"... I don't... I don't know."
"Well... I'll do a round of the tables and check everything's in order, and then I'll bring you up something."
"... Thank you."
"You're welcome. It's never easy settling in, dear. I only hope you and Ruby patch things up. I know she likes having you around for company."
"I like helping out with her, too."
"Then I hope you two can put this silliness behind you, but you are both adults- just- and I will keep my nose out of such business providing you keep it at a tolerable volume."
"Promise."
"Good... Now get up and come here. No, don't give me that look. You might not want a hug, but you're getting one, and I have no more patience to argue."
Granny growls, and the blonde sniffs and offers a weak smile as the grey-haired woman embraces her tightly and pats a soothing hand on her arm. She stands stiffly- not really sure what to do or how much of herself to give- before closing her eyes and offering the older woman a tentative squeeze in return.
"There, see now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"No."
Emma grins, and Granny gives her a stern look over the top of her glasses and a business-like nod.
"No, indeed. Now cheer up. What was it you were reading earlier?"
"Paradise Lost."
"That sounds rather gloomy."
"It's not. Well, not really."
"Well, I'll take your word for it. Is it good?"
"Yeah, I've read it twice now."
"That must ruin the ending."
"But not the story."
"No, I suppose not. Well, get dressed and read some more and I'll be up later with whatever leftovers there are on offer."
"Thanks, Granny... I might go for a walk, actually."
"Well, then definitely get dressed."
The older woman orders as she turns for the door; smiling as she catches a watery chuckle from behind her.
"I will."
"Oh, it's those big, blue eyes that get you, isn't it?"
Johanna coos as she puts away Henry's clothes with a smile at the Mayor who sits in the chair by the window with the baby in her arms.
"It's everything."
Regina replies as she beams down at the boy.
"I wonder if they'll stay that colour, or darken in the next few weeks."
"Darken?"
"Oh, yes, they do that, Madame Mayor. Babies almost all have them big, blue eyes at first, but then they darken if they're going to be like your own are. The little one has the colouring for fair features, but his hair is already going dark, so I suppose we will see in time."
"Hmmm... I don't think they'll change all that much."
Regina muses thoughtfully, and the older woman shrugs and leans against the crib.
"Depends on the parents, I suppose... The birth parents, I mean, Madame Mayor."
She explains swiftly, and the brunette nods without looking up.
"I gathered that... I just... Have a feeling Henry's will stay lighter like this."
"Well, then he's sure to be quite the little heart breaker."
Johanna smiles, and the Mayor nods once more as Henry closes a small fist around her finger.
"Yes... I imagine he will."
And she almost gets so far as dismissing the older woman for the night- content to sit with the boy a while longer before he doses off- when Johanna offers a rather unwanted opinion.
"You know, Regina- not that I don't enjoy my time with him- but if you were wanting to find jobs for your girl, she might be able to lend a hand at babysitting. She's the right sort of age, and-"
"-No."
"Oh, well I just-"
"-Johanna, I wish to make something very clear. Miss Swan is not to come up here, and she is not to have anything to do with the boy... Do you understand me?"
"Yes, of course! I apologise, I merely meant-"
"-It's fine, Johanna... But my rule is quite clear."
"Yes. Of course, Madame Mayor... On reflection, I would imagine she is perhaps not the best choice for the job anyway, what with that temper. Lord!"
"Temper?"
"Oh, yes! When I went to collect the quarts of juice from the Diner earlier, it sounded as though all hell was breaking loose! Widow Lucas ended up having to excuse herself midway through an order to go and see what on earth was going on! Then her girl and that boy from the garage came trotting down with their tails between their legs and got quickly to business. I can quite understand young Ruby's shock; I've never heard such a commotion!"
"... Is that so?"
"Quite so... I imagine there are two sides to whatever story there might be, but it is always such a shame to hear such foul language leave such young lips. I expect things are a little different in the city, but that waif of a girl you brought here has a surprising bite to her, that's for sure."
"... She does."
"Not that I meant anything as far as your judgement or anything, Regina, I-"
"No, no, that's quite alright... In fact... That's all rather interesting."
"It is?"
Johanna asks uncertainly, and the brunette nods, before offering an airy form of dismissal.
"I would say so, yes. I will ask her about it tomorrow... But for now, I can put Henry down for the night. Please take one of those quarts home with you, Johanna, to enjoy tomorrow morning."
"Thank you."
"Not at all... Goodnight, dear."
She murmurs, studying Henry thoughtfully as the door closes gently when Johanna takes her leave.
You stoked the fire, and people are getting burned...
"... I believe we might have yet to see just how much 'bite' young Emma possesses, don't you?
She confides in the young boy warily.
You best be careful, dear... Your taking a liking to the girl is sure to be dangerous...
Looking up, she casts her dark gaze to the pale face of the clock tower; the iron hands standing still once more.
It's not enough.
Perhaps not...
She supposes she will see with time, just as she will see what colour her son's eyes turn out to be.
She supposes that they will all see with time.
"It would be a shame if I had to get rid of her, Henry... I'm beginning to believe it really would... I will do so should the necessity arise... But... I don't imagine I will enjoy it. Whether with a blade or my hands or a bullet... I don't think I would sleep soundly that evening... Nor the next."
She muses with a frown, and the boy bares his naked gums as he begins to cry.