Emma looks across the street at the house that hold such bitter unhappy memories. The sun has almost set in the sky. "I can't believe you were in my trunk!" Nicole rolls her eyes and sighs for the millionth time. Emma's phone rings again for the four billionth time. "It's going to be her." Nicole says quietly "you answer it" Emma says tossing her the phone. Nicole shakes her head and tosses it back. Finally she picks it up and punches the answer key. "Yeah…no I'm not running! I don't care what James says…yes she is with me…no I didn't invite her she was in my car… No mother I'm not coming home right this minute!" Emma slams the phone shut and throws it into the passenger seat. Nicole stares at her "that was harsh" Emma sighs she knows the "mother" comment was low but she was tired of being treated like a baby. "I know but she hasn't called back." Nicole nods wordlessly and looks out the window. Emma waits until it is completely dark then she sneaks around the back of the house. She jumps the fence and walk over to the massive tree sitting in the middle. She falls to her hands and knees and starts digging. After a few minutes she finds it. She pulls it out of wipes the dirt off of it and holds it close. A dog starts barking and a light inside the house comes on. Emma jumps up and leaves the yard he way she came.
Emma slides into the car. "Made it" Nicole breaths deeply relieved. "What's that?" Emma shakes her head and sits it in the back seat. Nicole sighs, "is that all can we go home now?" Emma shakes her head again "no, one more thing." Nicole groans and leans her seat back. "You were the one who snuck into my car." Nicole chuckles before falling into a deep sleep. Emma sits staring out at the house that held so much pain. All of the times those people had hit her. Or all of the times their stupid dog had tormented her. No! Emma stop, you have reason above! You have made a life for yourself, your life is better then theirs will ever be. You have Snow, James and more importantly…Henry. Emma puts the car in drive and pulls away.
Emma and Nicole watch the children playing in the front yard. Emma sighs thinking about when she used to do that. "So you lived here?" Nicole asks quietly, Emma nods subconsciously. Emma frowns and her hands become fists. Nicole looks at her worriedly, and then she fallows her gaze to the children in the yard. A little girl about six is being pushed around by some boys. One of the boys hit her, Emma swings the car door open and walks a crossed the street with Nicole close behind her. A lady has come out of the house and is pulling the little girl off by her arm. Emma marches over and stops the women "let go of her!" the women swings around "excuse me?" Emma crosses her arms, her bodily language screams, fight with me I dare you. "Is she one of your foster kids?" the women stares at her "yes what is she to you?" Emma glares at the women before looking down at the child softly. She is only five or six; Emma looks at her arms and legs. They are covered in bruises and cuts. Emma bends down and looks at the child. "Hello what's your name?" The little girl scoots away from Emma "I'm Emma, I'm not going to hurt you." The child smiles weekly and Nicole already knows what Emma is going to do. "Do I know you?" the woman asks Emma. Emma stands up "yeah I'm Emma Swan." The woman looks like she's seen a ghost. "You remember me now? Remember everything you did to me when I lived here with you?" the women takes her hand off the girls arm and Emma picks her up.
Emma and Nicole climb into the car and pulls out of the social serves parking lot. "What are you going to tell mom and dad?" Emma groans and looks over at Nicole "I don't know yet. But I wasn't going to leave her there." Nicole smiles at her sister, no matter how hard she tries's to make people think she is a hard emotionless person; she is still so kind hearted. "Oh no!" Nicole looks over at Emma "what?" she asks "Graham!" Nicole laughs lightly and looks out the window. "That's your problem sis." Emma growls and Nicole knows its because she hates the term, sis.
Emma and Nicole drive all night and all the next day before they pull past the entering Storybrook sign at three o'clock. Emma taps the steering wheel nervously. She looks over and sees a sleeping Nicole in the passenger seat. She looks her shoulder at a sleeping Riley in the back seat. Riley hadn't said anything to the two sisters. They had only figured out her name because the social worker gave Emma her file. Nicole had been in shock that they gave Riley to Emma, even though they didn't even know her. But it looked good that Emma was a sheriff in a small sleepy town and that she had been in the system herself, she told the worker she wanted to help out the kid. Emma even though she didn't want to admit it she was a little worried about what her parents would think. She had been gone for a week and is returning with a little kid. She hadn't intended on being gone that long but had taken two days for the judge to sign off on Riley's case. She finally pulls up in front of the apartment. "Nicky wake up" she shakes Nicole before climbing out and carefully lifting Riley into her arms, Riley whimpered before snuggling into her. Emma kicks the car door closed and takes a deep breath before entering the building.
