There's some canon dialogue from 1x02 & 1x08 in this chapter. I don't own Once, I just play with their characters.
August 28th, 1989
Mary Margaret's station wagon skidded into the driveway. She threw open the door, not bothering to close it as she raced up the steps and headed into the house. In her peripheral, she could see the familiar car, but begged herself that it wasn't what she thought. She threw the door open, breath heavy. David stood in the entry way, his face heavy. The familiar dark haired social worker stood before him, a frown lined across her lips.
"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I'm going to the school next, but I needed to talk to both of you."
"I work there. We could've talked there."
"I didn't want a scene when we took Emma."
Took Emma.
Mary Margaret's eyes widened. She moved closer to her husband, swallowing.
"No," her voice came out in a whisper.
"Mary Margaret," Helen began.
"No! You told us that we could adopt her! We have an attorney! You told us we could tell Emma this! She's so excited!"
"Well all of that changed when you assaulted the mayor, Mrs. Nolan."
An eerie silence fell over the room. David's eyes burned a hole into her head. She hadn't told him about going to the mayor's office or what Regina had said about taking Emma away. Gold said he'd take care of it.
"Listen, she threatened…"
"Mrs. Nolan," Helen interrupted. Her voice is harsh, eyes narrowed. "When you took on the responsibility of fostering children, you agreed to be a good example. That included with your actions. The mayor has agreed not to press charges, but she is worried about your ability to parent."
Mary Margaret's stomach dropped. This wasn't happening. No. She had gotten angry, once. Something came over, it wasn't her. Mary Margaret was a pacifist. She didn't get into fights. It was like she became someone else entirely.
"Please," Mary Margaret pleaded. "It was a mistake. I won't do it again. Emma, she is our world. We love her more than anything. She…she made everything light again!"
"We can't have her at risk, Mrs. Nolan. The mayor has a broken nose, what does that say about your anger?" She turned to David. "I will give you 10 minutes to pack her favorite things. Then I need to go get her."
"We can't even say goodbye?" David's voice sounded broken, tears in his eyes. "Explain things?"
"I don't think that would be wise, Mr. Nolan."
"Please, at least me. She's only 5 and has been through so much trauma. I don't want her to think we're abandoning her."
"Emma needs a clean break. I'll explain everything to her. Now please, Mr. Nolan."
Mary Margaret could see the tears in her husband's eyes. She followed him upstairs and into the bright yellow room that their foster had spent her time in. He started packing clothes into a suitcase.
"David," she whispered. "I…"
"Go, Mary Margaret."
"But Emma…"
David's hands grasped a tiny blue shirt that read the words "Daddy's Girl". "I'm going to try to fix this mess. Just get away from me right now. I can't…I can't look at you."
Mary Margaret swallowed, hard. David's harsh words felt like a heavy slap to her face and it was karma for the pain she had inflicted on him. She turned away from the door and walked towards their room. She slid down the closet door and let herself settle on the plush carpet. She listened as her husband packed their daughter's clothes, sending her to a life without them. Tears poured down her face, just as she was sure they did his own. It started what would be how they handled their pain. Alone.
Emma sat on the rainbow semi circle rug, surrounded by the other children. She had been nervous to start first grade but after a few days, it really was just like kindergarten. None of her other friends had matriculated over but she was making new ones and she liked Miss Jenny. She had a kind smile and bright purple glasses. They read a funny story about three bears and a girl with blonde curls, just like Emma. She hadn't even needed to grab her baby blanket from her backpack. After many talks with Archie, her parents had agreed that she could bring it to school but it had to stay tucked away unless she got really upset. So far, so good.
Just as Miss Jenny closed the book, a crackled voice rose out from above them. Emma turned her head and saw a boom box type thing risen above the clock, her mom had one in her room.
"Emma Swan to the principal office," the voice said. "Please have her bring her things."
The other kids laughed. Emma's brows furrowed and her lips tugged to a frown. Was her daddy picking her up early? She didn't want him to, she was having fun.
Miss Jenny asked if she knew how to get to the office and Emma nodded, she knew the school well after going a lot with Mary Margaret. She grabbed her backpack and headed into the hall. After two left turns, she was in the office, which had high desks and adults that towered over her. Her parents weren't there, but Helen was. Her frown intensified.
"Helen," she said. "Why are you here?"
Helen crouched in front of her. "Emma, you're going to a new home in Portland."
Emma frowned. "My mommy and daddy are moving?"
Helen sighed. "No, sweetie. Mary Margaret and David are staying here. You're not going to live with them anymore."
Emma let the words register as Helen lead her out of the office and down the hall. That didn't make any sense. Her parents said they were her forever home. She was going to be adopted. She'd stay in Storybrooke forever. She'd never have to leave again.
As they reached the steps, Emma pulled away. "No!"
"Emma," Helen sighed.
"I don't want to leave! I want Mary Margaret and David! I want my parents!"
"Emma, you can't stay here anymore."
"No! This is my home!"
The tears rolled down her face and she clung to the railing, as if she had lived at Storybrooke Elementary all her life. Helen tried to pry her off, but she put her entire weight onto the baluster. Helen grabbed onto her waist and pulled. Emma screamed. She wasn't doing her best like David and Mary Margaret taught her, but she didn't care. She sobbed and kicked. Her teeth bared when Helen managed to pry her off the railing. She leaned into bite her, but Helen was too quick and moved her arm. Emma was forced into the back of the station wagon, still screaming and crying.
Helen wrestled the seatbelt over her and then dug through Emma's backpack. She didn't give into the tears or screams, she never did. Finally, she pulled out the white knit blanket and shoved it into Emma's arms. That silenced her a bit. Helen got up front and pulled her car away from the curb. Emma shoved her thumb into her mouth for comfort, watching the familiar sights zoom by. No more Granny's Diner. No more Ruby babysitting and painting her nails. No more running around the park.
Her eyes went down to the floor of the car and saw her suitcase. She frowned at that. She didn't fit in any clothes that she arrived at the Nolans in. All of her outfits were new.
They were sending her away. This had to be their idea.
So much for promises.
October 26th, 2011
Emma sat at the table in Mary Margaret's kitchenette, her hands folded together. Mary Margaret kept staring at her like she might disappear again. She'd move her eyes to the coca on the stove, only to look back up at the woman sitting at the table. Emma's eyes were still puffy, her skin pale and stitch from tears. David sat across from her, almost like a sitter, making sure she wouldn't run off again.
After their hug, things had been silent. David had lead Emma over to the table and Mary Margaret decided to fix the hot chocolate. She wasn't sure if her former foster daughter even still liked the hot dessert drink, but she had to do something with her hands. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she was instilled to make hot beverages for guests.
Eventually, Mary Margaret poured the milk chocolate from the pan into three green mugs and added the whipped cream followed by some cinnamon. David hopped up and grabbed two of them. Snow gave him a grateful smile and they headed back to the table, each sitting on either side of Emma. She accepted the cocoa, taking a small sip.
"You still make it with cinnamon," she muttered.
Mary Margaret nodded, her lips turning up a bit more. "Yeah. You still like that, I hope."
"Can't drink it any other way because of you."
Mary Margaret wasn't sure how to respond to that. She took a sip of it on her own and let the spice hit her tongue. She needed that after the day she had.
"So, you two fought for me?" Emma asked bluntly, changing the subject.
David nodded, "After you were taken away, we fought to get you back. But the system said we weren't fit to have you."
Mary Margaret bit her lip. It was her fault and she knew it. "I'm sorry, Emma," she said. "If I hadn't punched Regina you would still be here."
Emma frowned, shaking her head. "That may be true but you were defending our family. You wanted to protect me. No one…" She sucked back a deep breath. "No one's ever done that for me before."
Mary Margaret looked away. She had always blamed herself, she probably always would. She had David to do that, especially. She couldn't even look him in the eyes right now.
"What's important now," David said. "Is that we have each other now. We can move past all of this."
Mary Margaret looked back at Emma and saw the doubt on her face. She wasn't sure what that meant. Was she thinking of leaving already? "You don't want to stay."
"It's not that," Emma said. "It's just that I don't think Regina does. I've given her and Henry space but she's still weirded out that I've stuck around this long. I think once my bug is fixed, I should go."
"If you're leaving Henry alone and sending him back when he comes to you then you're not doing anything wrong," David told her. "You have every right to be here."
"Please stay, Emma," Mary Margaret pleaded. "We lost so much time with you already. We don't want to lose any more."
Emma's finger lingered around the rim of the mug. Mary Margaret held her breath, not waning to push too far. Emma had been through so much. She could snap and leave if spooked.
Finally, she looked up, her green eyes assured. "Another week won't kill me," she said.
Mary Margaret grinned and she could feel David's hand slide through her own.
After hot chocolate, Emma headed back to Granny's. To Mary Margaret's surprise, David stayed behind to help her clean up. It was only three cups but he carried them to the kitchen with her and they lathered them with pine scented dish soap, turning on the warm water.
"I don't blame you," he said, softly.
The mug slipped from her hand and crashed into the sink. It cracked, a few pieces falling into the sink. Mary Margaret's pruny's fingers remained under the running water, her wide eyes staring forward.
"Get the fuck out of here."
"Mary Margaret…"
"You can't just say that to me!"
"Mary Margaret, please just listen to me!"
"Where the hell was this over 20 years ago, David?" She turned off the sink, her hands falling to her hips. "Where was this when our house was so quiet that all we could hear at dinner was our forks scratching the plates? Where was this when you started sleeping in the guest room? Where was this when I cried in every dark corner so you wouldn't hear?"
"I…"
"I blamed myself!" She cried out. "I hated myself! I hated myself for defending our family! For making us lose her! I mourned her! But you pushed me away! You left me!"
The tears fell down her face. She remembered missing him, when he was only two feet away, in the same fucking bed as her. She needed David. She needed his hug. His comfort.
"You told Helen we didn't want to foster anymore, you shut me out! You hated me!"
"I never hated you!"
"Then what, David!" Snow thundered.
"I was upset at first, yes, but in time I just missed her and I…I didn't want to talk about it. No other child was going to replace her. I couldn't foster anymore. I couldn't be at home anymore. And when I looked at you, I saw her. I was reminded of her and all the good times and I got broken all over again!"
Mary Margaret's mouth dropped open.
"Why didn't you tell me that?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.
He bit his lip, tears spilling down his face. "I was hurting."
"And I wasn't? She was my daughter too. I loved her just as much as you."
"I know but I just…couldn't talk about it. Maybe if I had…"
The end of that sentence lingered over them like a brick. Maybe they wouldn't be divorced. Maybe Mary Margaret wouldn't blame herself. Maybe…
"I'm sorry, Mary Margaret," he whispered. "I never wanted you to think…"
"But it was," she interrupted. "I did punch her and consequences came from that."
She brushed the back of her hand at her eyes.
"I'm tired," she said. "And I just really wanna go to bed."
He stared at her for a moment with his big blue eyes, biting his lip.
"Okay," he whispered.
He leaned in, kissing her cheek. Mary Margaret waited until his boots ascended the stairs to slide onto the bed and let the tears stream down.
Emma sat in the diner the next day, waiting on her fruit loops. She was due to spend time with David later and needed all the sugar rush she could get. Despite the clearance of her past, she was still nervous. A lot had changed in 23 years, at least with her. What if things had changed with him, too?
"Is it true?"
Emma looked up at the sound of Henry's voice. The young boy stood there, wearing his long gray coat and what she was starting to guess trademark red scarf. A copy of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror was tucked under his arm. Emma opted out of that for her room, she didn't care much for the newspaper.
"Is what true, kid?"
"This, Sidney wrote it."
He unfolded the paper and revealed her mug shot from her first night in town on the front page. On top in big black, bold font read: EX-JAIL BIRD. Below it, a sub-headline: EMMA SWAN BIRTHED BABE BEHIND BARS.
Emma's heart quickened as she snatched the paper from him, quickly scanning the article. Glass told a tale of their "mysterious visitor", questioning how much they really knew about her. Was she safe for their town? Then he detailed her criminal history and finished it with, "Maybe we shouldn't be so trusting of Miss Swan".
This wasn't his doing at all. It was Regina's and it made her skin crawl.
"Is it a lie?" Henry asked.
Emma looked up at him, his eyes so innocent. Regina had to know he'd see this. Why would she set him up for that? Hurt her, not him.
"No," she admitted,
"I was born in jail?" Henry asked incredulously.
It was far more complicated than that, but Emma didn't know how to explain it to a 10 year old. "These records were supposed to be sealed," she said, instead. He didn't look convinced. "It was just…a long time ago and a story for when you're much, much older. Look, let's just throw this away." She crumpled up the newspaper. "Please, tell me this isn't going to scar you for life."
"I guess this won't," he mumbled.
"Good."
After buying Henry breakfast and sending him off to school, Emma texted David that she'd be running a bit late. She walked down to the mayor's office, pushing straight through into the pristine black and white decorated room.
"This was a juvie record!" She demanded. "It was sealed by court order. I don't know how you got it, but it's an abuse of power and illegal."
Regina didn't look up from her paperwork. "Oh, I'm sorry did you not want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?"
"I don't care what other people think of me, I care if Henry gets hurt!"
"He would've found out eventually."
"Yeah, eventually. When he's older and not from a newspaper! This is hurting him, Madam Mayor!"
Regina looked up from her work. "And what do you know about child rearing, Miss Swan?"
"I can't say it's much. But when I went to your house, I told you that you were doing a great job. I backed off. Henry's come to me. Not the other way around! And that's not my fault!"
"Well maybe it'd be best for everyone involved if you left town."
"Why? If I'm not involved with Henry, why does it bother you that I'm in town? Why is it such a threat to you? Why was it such a threat 20 years ago?"
Regina's brows furrowed. "what are you talking about?"
"You're the one that picked a fight with Mary Margaret, you made her lose custody of me. If you hadn't threatened her…"
"Miss Swan, I don't know what you're talking about and I honestly don't care about your personal life. What I do care about is the welfare of my son. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll leave."
Emma narrowed her eyes, her hands clamping the desk.
"I'll leave Henry alone," she said. "Just like I have been. I'll send him home every time. I'll watch him from afar. But let me tell you one thing, Madam Mayor. You're not running me out of this town again."
David smiled as Emma walked up the path to the woods.
"Ready for this hike?" he asked.
Emma nodded. "I need it."
David bit his lip as they started walking. "I saw the article."
"I'm sure the whole town has at this point."
"Do you…wanna talk about it?"
Emma sighed, running her hand through her curls. After a few moments of silence, she spoke again.
"I ran away from my last foster home when I was 16. I was on the run for a bit. Then I met Henry's father. His name was Neal. Nice eyes, goofy smile," David could see her own lips tug up. "For awhile, we were each other's everything."
David felt his muscles tense at this story going bad. "But?"
"We stole already. Just enough to get by," Emma clarified. "Food, medicine, that kind of thing." David nodded. He was a cop, but he understood the world wasn't totally black and white. "But one day, Neal revealed that before we met he had lifted a few cases of watches from a jewelry store. It was so stupid and the cops were looking for him. He was going to take off for Canada but my genius 17 year old self had a better idea. Sell the watches to a fence, take the cash, get new identities and start over in Florida."
David raised an eyebrow. He had to remind himself that Emma was her own person and not the little girl he had known back then. He wasn't used to this side of her. Still, he didn't judge. He gestured for Emma to continue.
"The watches were in a storage locker. I picked them up, Neal went to sell them and told me to keep one, we'd meet up later. Except he never showed up." She sucked back a deep breath. "A cop did, though."
David frowned. "Oh, Emma."
"He said that they got an anonymous tip, probably Neal. They never found him or the other watches. I got 11 months since I just had the one. Neal sent me the key to our car a few weeks after I was sentenced. By then, I found out I was pregnant, but I knew I couldn't keep the baby."
In that moment, she looked so young, vulnerable. David tentatively reaches out and put a hand on her back. Emma sniffles and scrubbed her face, quickly pulling away.
"Stupid for believing it'd work out anyway," she mumbled.
"Hey," David whispered. "He's the stupid one."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Feel like I should say you have to say that."
"I don't."
Emma ducked her head, but David saw the small smile. "Dork."
David smiled himself. "Whatever you say." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I can't believe they printed that in the paper. If you were 17, the record should be sealed."
"Regina couldn't care less."
"Yeah, she got softer after she adopted Henry but with him only."
"I just don't get how I'm a threat to her. I stay away from her kid. I'm just trying to live my life."
"Well, you won't have to face her alone."
Emma turned the key to her room at the inn, pushing it open. She needed a shower after that hike, but it was a lot of fun.
"Miss Swan," Emma turned at the sound of Granny's voice. The older woman's face wrinkled more than usual out of concern. "Oh this is terribly awkward. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"We have a no-felons rule. Turns out it's a city ordinance."
Emma bit her lip and tipped her head upwards laughing, despite herself. Regina really outdid herself with that one. No felons could sleep at the inn…how biblical. "Let me guess, the mayor's office just called to remind you?"
Granny slowly nodded, her eyes almost in a cult like trance. She was just as much under Regina's control as she was Gold's. This wasn't the same woman who yelled at Ruby to put on a longer skirt every morning. This was a woman in fear of losing her livelihood. "You can gather your things, but I need your key back."
Emma kept a smile on her face as she extended her key into Granny's hand. "I'll be out in a half hour."
She didn't have much to pack and took a quick shower, not knowing when she'd get the chance again. As she made her way down to her rental car, she threw her bag into the back and slid into the front seat.
The chess game just got a bit more complicated.
