Emma was standing outside, leaning on the squad car as she waited for her rescuer to arrive.
"Nicholas, look!" Ava and her brother were sitting in the backseat of Emma's car. She had nudged her brother when the needle of the compass began spinning widely. Outside of the car, a tow truck finally reached the sheriff's car. Ava and Nicholas' dad stepped out of the car. He was walking towards Emma, but staring at the kids in the back of her car.
"Those are them?" He asked.
"Those are them." Emma confirmed.
"And your car? it's fine?" Emma didn't bother pointing out that the car was only fine once she'd reversed it back over the town line. She was too afraid to admit that Henry's theory might be right.
"I just wanted you to see them. Just once. I didn't think I could do it either. I gave up Henry and Sarah because I wanted to give them their best shot. When I saw that they didn't have it, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared, more probably, but once I saw them, got to know them, I couldn't go back."
"You're taking them? To Boston?"
"I don't have to."
"No, you don't." Michael promised her.
May Margaret knew it was going to be a long night for her friend, so she promised herself to stay up until Emma came home. The school teacher occupied herself with household chores and was folding laundry when Emma came stumbling in.
"Hey," Mary Margaret smiled. She was surprised to see her roommate home so early. "What happened?"
"Their Dad." Emma answered, sitting on Mary Margaret's bed. "He showed up, changed his mind."
"Changed his mind? Just like that?" To say that Mary Margaret was surprised would be an understatement.
"He might have had a little nudge." The Sheriff shrugged.
"They found their father? That's great." The school teacher smiled with awe.
"I wonder what that would be like?" Emma said resting her chin in her hands.
"Maybe you'll find out." Mary Maraget said, setting her laundry aside. "You can't give up!"
"I don't know." Emma shook her head. "I kind of think giving up might be the best plan. I think I need to let go."
"No you don't."
"Really?" Emma scrunched her face and stretched herself out flat on the bed. "If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look."
"Maybe." Mary Margaret agreed. "But maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there is an explanation."
"If there is, it's something crazy. Something even crazier than Henry and Sarah's theory."
"What's their theory?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Well, that my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them."
"Aw, and who does he think they are?"
"Well, for one," Emma said propping herself up so that she was leaning on her elbows, "You."
"Me?"
"Well, Snow White."
"Snow White has a kid?" Mary Margaret giggled.
"Apparently that book you gave him? Not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense."
"I have a kid? You'd think I'd remember that."
"Yeah, you'd think." Emma sighed, for the game of pretend had gone far enough.
"You do kind of have my chin..." Mary Margaret said absentmindedly.
"I think I need to go get some air." Emma rose to her feet and Mary Margaret stood to follow her. "I'm going to go think."
"If you you're going to be back later I can wait to eat with you?"
"No, don't do that." Emma waved her off.
"I'll leave you leftovers..." Mary Margaret suggested. Emma's box of baby things was still sitting on the table from when she'd showed Ava and Nicholas her baby blanket. Emma pulled out a manila envelope from the box and Mary Margaret inspected the soft white blanket for the first time. It was hand knitted, with a shiny purple ribbon around the border. Emma's name was sewn on one corner in purple. "What a pretty blanket." The school teacher breathed.
"Thanks, goodnight." Emma said distractedly as she left the apartment.
Emma was hiding in her squad car, a fist full of news articles strewn across her dashboard. They were articles from when Emma was a baby. Articles about her and the seven year old boy who had found her on the side of the road. Someone took the Sheriff by surprise when they rapt on the car window. Emma was relieved to see that it was only little Sarah. Emma unlocked the car door and stuffed the clippings back in manila envelope.
"What's that?" The girl asked as she slid into the passenger seat, a small box in her lap.
"Just an old file." Emma assured her. "What's up?"
"Pumpkin pie." Sarah said holding the box out to Emma. "Henry is spending the night with Ava and Nicholas, so I...I thought you'd like some. It was pumpkin right?"
"Right." Emma nodded remembering her lie. "Look Sarah..."
"Yeah?" The girl looked up at Emma, both pairs of green eyes shining in the moonlight.
"I'm glad I told you." Emma said before scooping up a bite of pumpkin pie and shoving it in her mouth.
"Me too." Sarah lunged forward and wrapped Emma in a hug. "You know, whether Henry's book is true or not, you really are changing things around here."
"Thanks kid." Emma smiled. While the two enjoyed their Pumpkin pie, the roar of a motorcycle could be heard. The motorcycle stopped and the rider got off. The man was an average build and he approached the car with friendly mannerisms. Being the Sheriff, Emma stepped out of the car to speak with the new-comer.
"Hi." The man smiled but he seemed breathless.
"Hey." Emma nodded, naturally suspicious of him.
"Is this Storybrooke?" The man asked looking around.
"Yeah..."
"Any place to get a room around here?" The man questioned. He was asking an awful lot of questions for a guy who's just come into town.
"You're staying?" Sarah asked curiously.
"That's the plan." The man told her. "Just looking for a bed.
"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just up the road, another two blocks." Emma said pointing down the street.
"Thank you." The man started walking away.
"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" Emma hollered after him.
"Well that's because I didn't give it." The man replied before zooming away on his motorcycle.
"I thought you and Henry said strangers don't come to Storybrooke?" Emma asked, leaning into the car to talk to Sarah.
"They don't." Sarah said staring at the spot where the Motorcycle had vanished on the horizon.