This chapter has a lot of dialogue from 1x09, but it also twists it a bit.

David adds onions into his saucepan, slowly stirring in some other seasonings. Already his kitchen smells like his mother's growing up. He hadn't made Ruth's chicken pot pie in a very long time, not since he was married and Emma lived with them. As a kid, she had hated a lot of vegetables. This dish was the one thing to get her to eat it. He smiled, a memory of her standing on a small step stool, pouring pre-measured ingredients into the bowl. She loved to help him cook, wearing the tiny Rainbow Brite apron that Mary Margaret bought her.

After Emma was taken from them and Mary Margaret kicked him out, he had tried cooking. He'd pour through recipes and try to throw all of his pain into roast chicken, cordon bleu and steak pizzaiolo. Cooking for one wasn't at all fun and soon, he resorted to just heating up Hungry Man meals he'd find in the frozen section of the grocery store. Sure, he had cooked when he dated Kathryn but that whole thing had been short lived. Once his ex-girlfriend met Jim, it was all over. He didn't completely mind, there hadn't been a huge connection between them. Still, it was a little lonely.

In the divorce, he lost pretty much all his friends. They didn't mean to take sides, but it was clear that Mary Margaret was the easier one to hang out with. Ruby still smiled at him in the diner, still, she was asking his ex to go to the bars and hang out. Graham would invite him for some stuff, but they didn't have a whole lot in common. And he had been acting especially weird since Emma came to town. That day, he had shown up late to work, clearly hungover and refusing to meet David's eye. This was hardly the hardworking deputy he had always known. He chalked it up to he and Regina having a fight. As much as they tried to keep it a secret, everyone knew of their little affair. David really couldn't blame him for finding comfort with her. Regina was pretty and despite her being so mean to everyone, no one wanted to be alone. David can relate to that.

With Emma back and Mary Margaret talking to him again…he wasn't so alone anymore.

A smile pokes up on his lips as he stirs in the chicken broth and milk. He continues to stir the pot, watching the mixture bubble and thicken. Next comes the chicken and vegetables, which includes a medley of peas and carrots. He folds the mixture into the homemade crust. He could've bought one from the store, but he knows his mom would roll over in her grave. David can't remember much of her, just like he can't a lot of his life prior to Emma entering their lives. Still, her cooking lessons imprinted in his brain. They didn't have a lot of money and would stretch one meal into several. She didn't want him and his brother to be a stereotypical guy that expected their wife to cook. David can recall many a Saturday, helping his mom grocery shop and cook. James refused to take part in it after a while.

Now both are gone. He knows James was in an attack, but Ruth's death is a blur. When he sleeps, he can see the life drain from her eyes. Mary Margaret's hand is on her back. For some reason, they're in a field, not a hospital. Every time he tries to pull back further, it's blocked. He tells himself that he's getting older, but he's never been able to remember a lot about his life before he was in his late 20s.

"Maybe Henry's right," he muses to himself, before laughing. Regina is harsh, but she's no Evil Queen. He's pretty sure most kids consider their parents at one point or another.

After covering the savory pie with a top, he slides it into the oven and sets a timer. Emma will be over soon and he still has to clean up. As he's wiping down the counter, his phone rings. His smile widens when a text from Mary Margaret flashes across the screen.

MM: Emma says you're having dinner with her. That's really sweet.

He drops the rag and scoops up the phone, quickly typing a response.

D: Made chicken pot pie.

MM: The only way to get her to eat vegetables.

D: It's why I'm the genius parent.

MM: Haha. I do miss your cooking.

D: I'll have to make your favorite. Eggplant parmesan.

MM: You remembered.

D: Hard to forget. You could come by tonight if you want.

MM: No, you should have some time alone with her. Besides, she might get suspicious if we're always in the same room.

Right, they were keeping it a secret. He needs to remember that when Emma shows up. Mary Margaret is the one who can't keep a secret for shit, but he's still excited that she agreed to take him back. It shouldn't have gone so far to the point where they needed divorce, but he had been stupid. If they had just talked…

It doesn't matter anymore. They're reunited and can try to move forward.

He moves onto set the table, his heart fluttering as he makes up two places. A frozen full of TV dinners and cupboard with soup cans are going to be disappointed tonight. David isn't eating alone tonight.

He finishes up just as the timer dings. David pulls his masterpiece from the oven, an aroma of chicken broth and crispy crusts filling his nostrils. He sets it on the table by the blue ceramic plates he absentmindedly picked out post-divorce. David's about to grab some napkins when the bell rings. He answers it, finding Emma on the other side. She gives him a small smile.

"Hey."

"Hey, come on in, it's freezing."

He steps aside and allows her to walk in. She looks around the tiny kitchen, rubbing the sleeves of her red leather jacket. David can remember her owning a similar one when she was smaller. Much like this one, she never wanted to take it off.

"It's my cape," 5-year-old Emma told David.

"Nice place," she says.

"I don't find much use for the kitchen anymore," David tells her. "Not a lot of fun cooking for one."

"I get that. I learned a few dishes in one foster home, but I'm still not great." Her eyes flicker to the table and her smile grows. "Chicken pot pie?"

"I remembered how much you liked it. If you don't anymore…"

"David, it's fine. It's one of my favorites."

He smiles. "Do you want me to take your jacket? I finally turned on the heat."

Her hand goes to her forearm and he tilts his head.

"No, I'm good," she says. "I run cold."

David wants to push further, but she goes to the fridge. The front has a sushi magnet set he bought at a flea market, holding up various reminders from work. In the corner is a picture he's kept over the years. It's a polaroid that Mary Margaret took of David and Emma not long after she came to them. They stand in front of his squad car, wearing matching smiles.

"You still have this," she mutters.

"I do. You loved coming to work with me."

"It was fun," her eyes snap back to him. "I used to imagine working there when I grew up and now I do."

David smiles, nodding. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No, I just finished, sit down." She plops down in one of the chairs and he opens the fridge. "I have milk or beer."

"I'll take a beer."

David grabs two Coronas and hands her one. She pops off the cap and takes a swig with familiarity. A part of him is still adjusting to the fact that she's 28 now, not 5 years old and asking for chocolate milk in her ladybug sippy cup. He sits at the chair beside her and starts to portion out the food.

"How was work?" Emma asks him.

"It was alright, not entirely exciting," he takes a bite of the still pretty warm dish and swallows. "I got a call from Mr. Clark this afternoon. He thinks someone has been stealing from him."

"Has he checked the security cameras?"

"The shop's pretty old, he hasn't replaced them in years. It seems to be that someone is taking essentials. Toothpaste, paper towel, food. He isn't sure if he wants to press charges if it's just someone trying to survive."

Emma nods, drawing an imaginary design on her plate with her fork. "Good."

"You alright?"

"I just…I was one of those people," she says, with a tiny shrug.

David cocks an eyebrow, but then he remembers what Emma told him about her past. "Right, with Henry's dad."

"One time we were trying to steal food, just to get through the night. Someone caught us and tried to tell the shop owner."

"Seriously?" David likes to think, no matter what his position in town, if he was off duty and saw someone stealing food, he'd let it go.

"Luckily, I thought on my feet. I "went into labor"."

"Huh? I thought you didn't find out you were pregnant until you were in prison."

"I didn't, but it was one of our covers." Emma laughs at the memory. "I stuck my bag under my shirt and would pretend to be pregnant, so we'd be able to steal easier. No one suspects a pregnant woman."

David knows he should probably scold her, but a laugh escapes his lips. "Oh my God."

"I know it's bad," she's trying to contain her own laughter. "But it worked! We got out of there in no time." She takes a bite of her savory pie. "Oh man, this is good."

David looks at her for a moment, taking in the glee in her eye. "Whenever you talk about Henry's dad…you get that look about you."

"What look?"

"Like you two were really happy."

Emma's smile drops and she purses her lips before taking another bite. She waits to swallow before speaking again. "Guess we were."

"Do you ever think about finding him?"

"No. He left, I'm not in the habit of chasing people who didn't want me in the first place."

David wants to point out that she came back to them, but he knows that's different. He and Mary Margaret didn't have a choice, this Neal sounds like he did. Even so, no matter how hurt she is, he can see the happiness in her eyes whenever she talks about him.

It hits him then that if they hadn't lost her, she probably never would've met Neal. There'd be no Henry. He hasn't spent any time with the kid, but he's seen him around. Henry is the one thing that humanizes Regina. What would life be like without him?

He doesn't mention that either. Instead, he takes a bite of the pie. "I outdid myself," he says.

Emma lets out a loud laugh, rolling her eyes. "You're still so full of myself."

"It's not being full of myself if it's the truth."

"You always were the better cook," she says as she enjoys another bite. "Mary Margaret burns toast."

"She tries. At least she makes the best red velvet cupcakes I've ever had."

"Oh, those are good."

He sips his beer. "What'd you do today?"

"Just went on a hike." She tenses up a bit before regaining composure. "Then just unpacked a little more."

He takes in her face. "Are you okay, Emma?"

"I'm fine."

"Em…"

"Seriously, David." She gives him a Look that reads "drop it". "I'm fine. I may have overdone it a little, that's it."

He stares at her for a few moments, not buying it. 23 years ago, she would've told him anything. They would've talked it out. Now, she's hiding behind something. He has to remind himself that life has changed a lot. While she's always been his daughter (at least in his mind), she probably hasn't considered him as a father since she was taken away. It's going to take time to rebuild the trust.

So, he lets it go. They spend the rest of the dinner talking about cooking tips (it's a little scary that he has to tell Emma that if you're going to put pasta in the microwave, you have to include water), the things going on in town (the Miner's Day Festival is quickly approaching) and even manage to slip in some Mary Margaret stuff (she's been going a bit overboard trying to redecorate the loft and Emma almost regrets bringing it up). It's not exactly like old times. Emma's not rocking back and forth in her chair. He doesn't have to remind her to tuck her hair back so the food doesn't get into it. Still, it's nice. They sip their beer, eat and chat about adult stuff.

God, how did he not realize how much he missed her?

Once they're full, Emma goes to gather the dishes but David insists that he's got it. He sends her into the living room to pick out a movie to watch. Once he's got everything soaking and some leftovers to send home for her (and Mary Margaret), he heads in there to join her. Emma is sitting on the brown leather sofa, a sun pillow in her hands. Mary Margaret had picked it out before she moved in with them, it became one of her favorite things.

"I couldn't get rid of it," he says. She looked up at him, her green eyes a little curious. "Mary Margaret kicked me out and I left quickly, but I grabbed that. It reminded me of you."

"Mary Margaret has a ton of stuff."

"I know." He drops down next to her. "I don't blame her, but I thought it'd be too hard to see all of it every single day."

"I get it," she says. "I'm not an entirely sentimental person. I think my landlord sent two boxes over."

"Really?"

Emma drops the pillow onto the couch. "I don't need much." She turns to the T.V, showing that she's got a tape paused. "I picked Raiders of the Lost Arc. Hope that's okay."

He smiles. "Yeah, I love that one."

"Me too. It's my favorite of the franchise."

They're pretty quiet as they watch Indie kick ass. Just like he's not the type to make dinner for one, it's not exactly fun to watch movies by himself. Mary Margaret got a bulk of their VHS collection in the divorce and while Stars Hollow has a video store, he'd much rather watch the game or read a book.

A disappointing buzz fills his stomach when the credits roll and Emma pulls herself off the couch, saying that she better get back "home". He looks around his living room, biting his lip. This place only has one bedroom, he can't invite her to stay. It makes sense for her to live with Mary Margaret, but he wonders what it would be like if she was younger and they had to split custody. He'd definitely need a bigger place.

Another part of him knows he should wait. If things work out with Mary Margaret, the two of them can get a place together.

"Thanks for coming over," he says.

"It was fun," Emma replies, almost as if she's surprised. "I didn't realize how much I missed this."

"Me either. We should do it again soon."

"Sure."

David hesitates, then wraps her into a hug. His hand easily goes on the back of her head, cradling it. She drops her head to his shoulder and to his surprise, she tightens the hug. He rubs her back with the hand that's on it and frowns.

"Are you sure that you're okay, Em?"

"I'm fine." She pulls away, giving him a small smile that doesn't convince him at all. "I'll see you later."

He walks her to the door, still feeling uneasy. David stands on the tiny stoop, watching as her yellow bug pulls out of the drive. He wonders who taught her how to drive. It was supposed to be him, he had it all planned out when she was little. He'd start, but Mary Margaret would probably be better at it.

Another opportunity lost.


Emma stands in front of the full-length mirror in Mary Margaret's part of the loft. She's got her sweater discarded to the side, wearing just a tank top and jeans. Her fingers trace Graham's own that make up the bruises on her biceps. They've turned a wicked yellowish purple color overnight and hurt worse than the day before. How the hell is that man so strong?

"You should've fought him off," she mutters to herself. It's what she's trained to do. She's tackled fully grown men to the ground to get them from running during her pursuits. After a particularly bad foster home, she took self-defense class.

And yet when he was pushing her up against the tree, she couldn't do a damn thing. She feels powerless, weak. Henry keeps saying that she's the savior, but she certainly doesn't feel like that.

Her phone rings and despite being the only one in the loft, she throws her sweater over her head. David's face has taken over her screen. She quickly answers, still a bit tangled in the bulky overwear.

"'Sup?"

"Hey Em, are you at the station yet?"

"No, I was just about to leave."

"Good, I have a case for you."

Emma grins. First Ashley, now this. It's better than boring paperwork, that's for sure. "Lay it on me."

"Well, Clark caught his shoplifters."

"You need me to find them?"

"Not exactly, they're Henry's age."

Emma frowns. "Oh."

"They claimed they were just trying to help their parents out, so I bought the stuff and Clark banned them from the store. I dropped them off at home, but something felt off. So, I went snooping…and they're living in an abandoned house. Alone."

Emma's stomach sours. She wishes that she could be surprised, but she did something similar not much older than those kids. Lily showed her what were supposed to be abandoned beach houses and they lived there for a week. Even after she found out that her supposed best friend was a fraud, Emma kept up with it.

"They finally admitted to me that their mom is dead, but they have no clue where their dad is. That's where you come in."

Emma walks into the kitchen and grabs a pad with lavender legal paper, Mary Margaret's choice. "What are their names?"

"Nicholas and Ava Zimmer. They're twins, 12 years old. Told me their birthdays are February 19th, 1999."

Emma nods, scribbling it all down. "Alright. What are you going to do with them?"

"I have to call social services."

Emma's voice turns sharp. "Don't."

"Emma, I have to."

"No, you don't. Look, just take them to the loft and I'll find their dad. There is no reason to get them mixed up in the system, they'll probably be separated."

David pauses. "Em…"

"I know what it's like to be in the foster system. There are great people like you and Mary Margaret…but at the same time…" She shuts her eyes, trying to block out the memory of perverted foster fathers and drunk foster mothers. "I just can't risk it."

David is quiet for a moment. "Do you think Mary Margaret will be okay with this?"

"It's just temporary. I'll text her. There's a spare key under the mat."

"Okay, I'll take them there now."

"We have snacks in the cabinets, there's the leftovers you sent me home with too. I should be at the station before you get here."

She hangs up and gathers her things, racing down to her car. Emma is at the station in record time. She feels her stomach lighten a bit when she enters and finds that it's empty. Consulting the schedule pinned to the bulletin board, it's his day off. Small miracles.

Emma gets settled at her desk and gets to work, looking through records of Nicholas and Ava. The most she finds is a record of their mother, Dory Zimmer. No father is listed on their birth certificate. She digs as far as she can, but nothing is coming up.

She's halfway through the takeout that Ruby delivered for her when the door opens and shuts again. Emma looks up, finding Henry walking over to her. She's done her best to avoid him. Emma chose to gave him up for adoption and no matter how hard is life is, she can't risk getting in trouble. She's heard of too many birth moms crossing the lines and ending up with restraining orders or worse. Emma needs to keep her nose down, do her job or Regina will find a way to drive her out of town again.

Still, he drops on the stool near her and lets his bookbag fall to the floor. "Kid, you can't be here."

"I was with Nicholas and Ava when they stole. They put a candy bar in my bag."

Emma looks up from her work, cocking an eyebrow. "Oh."

"I heard Mr. Nolan talking about taking them home and saying he needs to find their dad. Any luck?"

Emma sighs. "No."

"I know who they are." He digs through his bag and pulls out the storybook. "Brother and sister…." He flips through the pages. "No parents, lost…" He grins as he reaches his desired page and shows her a beautifully drawn picture of two kids dressed in old timey clothes, one with blonde braids and the other has a beanie covering his brown hair. "Hansel and Gretel."

Emma knows she should argue with him about still believing in the book, but it won't do any good. Besides, is it so bad that he believes in fairytales? She had certainly given up by his age, but parents are supposed to want more for their kids.

"Anything in there about the dad?"

"Just that he abandoned them."

Emma holds back a sigh, shaking her head. "Great." She gets up and heads over to the file cabinets to search for more information. "Sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now."

"No, he's here," Henry says with certainty.

"And just how are you sure about that?"

"'Cause no one leaves Storybrooke and no one comes here," Henry explains as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "No one goes, it's just the way it is."

Emma looks up from the cabinet. "I came here."

"Because you're special. You're the first stranger here, ever."

Emma lets the file cabinet close with a clang, trying to remain patient. "Right, I forgot." She flips open a folder, sighing when it just gives her Dory's death certificate. "Well, if he's around here anywhere, I'm going to find him." She settles back down in her creaky chair.

Henry moves from the chair to sit on her desk. "Can you tell me about him?"

Emma keeps her eyes on the information she's gathered. "I don't know anything yet."

"Not their father, mine."

Emma's eyes shoot up and her mouth hangs open. When she first arrived to town, Regina asked if she could expect anymore surprise visits and she told her the truth, he didn't know. Neal was long gone by the time she got a little plus sign. She figured Regina would've told him, but considering Henry once told her on the ride from Boston that he had only found out he was adopted a few months prior. It'd make sense why she'd keep it a secret.

"I told you about your parents," Henry rambles on. "You're even living with your mom, working with your dad."

"Mary Margaret and David are not my parents," she says as gently as possible. "They're…" She knows it's complicated, but doesn't want to get into it with a 10 year old. "Never mind."

"Please."

Henry is looking at her with big eyes, his father's eyes. She looks him up and down, reminding herself how much he looks like his dad. From his dark hair to the way he waves his hands animatedly when he's telling a story. Emma doesn't see a lot of herself in Henry, but she sure sees Neal.

Growing up, Emma had to face the reality that her biological parents didn't want her, that they didn't give enough of a damn to drop her off at a fire station or hospital. Then she lived for years knowing that two of her first foster families gave her a way. It hurt, more than anything. She still didn't know the full stories behind either of those for years. Not having answers, was hard. Knowing you were abandoned, that hurt worse.

She can't put that on Henry. He's just a little kid who believes in fairytales and loves hot chocolate. Why ruin his innocence so early in life?

So, she goes into her wish fulfillment story. What she told herself some nights to get past the abandonment.

"I was pretty young," she says and that part is true. "I had just gotten out of the foster system and the only job I could get was at this tiny foster system just off the 84 on the interstate." Another truth, she had worked at a diner before she became a bail bondsperson. "And uh, your dad was training to be a fireman."

Neal had always loved firefighters. That was going to be his career once they went to Tallahassee.

"He always got the worst shifts, so he'd come in and order coffee and pie. He'd sit at the counter and…" She screwed her face up. "Always complained that we didn't sell pumpkin pie." That was her ex's favorite treat, outside jelly donuts. A soft smile comes across her face at the memory of her stealing a pumpkin pie one Thanksgiving. "He always came back the next night anyway."

"Did you get married?" Henry asks, intrigued.

Emma lets out a small laugh. "Oh, no, nothing like that. We just…we hung out a few times outside of work. And…" She thinks of the reality of the situation, far too complex for a 10-year-old. "Life happened." Her heart hurts, trying to block out the feeling of those metal cuffs on her wrists. "His got better, mine got worse. I got in some trouble…"

"When you went to jail."

Emma lets out a deep breath. If only he knew. "Yeah. But before I left…I found out I was pregnant with you." Sounded better than getting tested in prison. She smiles a little and Henry matches it. "And I tried to contact him and…" She leaned forward, trying to get the courage to lie.

Emma hates lies. She's gotten them enough in her life. But along the way she learned…sometimes you have to lie to protect the ones you love. She never tried to find Neal after he left her. The closest was waiting for him in Tallahassee for 2 years, but he never showed. Besides, by then, Henry was long gone.

"I found out that he died, saving a family from a burning apartment building." Her heart breaks as Henry's face falls. "So, you think I'm a savior, Henry. He was. Your father was a real hero."

For awhile, Neal had been her hero. He went hungry so she could eat. He always made sure she was warm in those cold Portland nights. He had been her everything.

Henry doesn't need to know that all heroes eventually live long enough to become the bad guy.

"Do you have anything of his?" Henry asks softly. "Something I could see, something to remember him by."

Emma's hand goes over the swan keychain that hangs around her neck. She's held onto it for all these years. Maybe it's time to let it go, maybe she can give it to Henry…

That's when it hits her. She's not sentimental and she hasn't hung onto a lot, but she does have one thing of her biological parents. Her baby blanket, carefully woven with her name in the corner. If she has that, maybe Ava and Nicholas have something of her parents'.

She carefully takes off her necklace, to let Henry look at the keychain. "He gave this to me," she tells him. He takes it into his hands, staring at it in wonder. "But Henry, I'm sorry, I gotta go. I may know how to find this guy."

"Your keychain…"

"Hang onto it," she insists. "It was your father's after all."

She leaps out of her chair, grabbing some things before heading out of the station. A pang of guilt fills her stomach. She lied to her son, something she swore she'd never do.

"It's for the best," she tells herself as she climbs into the bug. "It'd hurt him to know the truth."


Mary Margaret watches at the twins devour the Oreos she placed in front of them. She frowns, being reminded of how Emma acted when she first came to them. Everything was eaten quickly, as if it'd be taken from her right after. They clearly hadn't had a warm meal in a long time, they wolfed down the leftovers David had sent over the night before. David stands behind her, a hand on the small of her back.

"You guys can have as much as you want," Mary Margaret assures them. "It's not going anywhere."

"Do you want some milk?" David asks.

Ava nods. "Yes, please."

Mary Margaret goes to the fridge and grabs the carton, pouring out two glasses. She holds it up for David to see and he nods, so she fixes him a glass as well. Mary Margaret passes out the glasses.

"Emma's going to find your father," she promises the kids.

"We don't even know who he is," Nicholas points out.

"I know, but finding people is her job."

As if on cue, the door bursts open and Emma runs in. She doesn't acknowledge her former foster parents as she zips up the stairs, coming down not long after with a box in her hand. Her baby blanket pokes out from the top, the white fabric spilling onto her sleeve.

Emma drops the box onto the counter. "Hey guys," she says, breathlessly. "I'm Emma." The twins regard her carefully, taking some bites from their cookies. Emma pulls her baby blanket out with two hands, clutching it carefully.

"What's that?" Nicholas asks.

"It's my baby blanket. It's the one thing I've held onto, it's the one thing I have…" Emma looks from Nicholas to Ava. "From my parents."

David takes Mary Margaret's hand and she squeezes it. Emma had been so attached to that blanket when she was little and they both knew why. Despite the research they did, they could never find Emma's biological parents. Mary Margaret knew they had to have loved her. No one makes such a beautiful blanket, no one puts in such time and effort…just to let her go without a second thought.

"I've spent a lot of time with kids in your situation," Emma continues. "And all of them…all of us, we held onto stuff." Nicholas and Ava nod. "I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his you've held onto?"

Mary Margaret feels a rush of pride watching her former foster daughter take control of the situation. She truly is good at her job.

Nicholas and Ava are quiet for a moment, before the latter speaks up. "I might have something. But if I give it to you…you'll make sure we stay together, right?"

Emma stares at the two. "Right." She tucks her baby blanket back into the box and Ava digs through her pocket, pulling out a compass. It lands in Emma's hands softly. "Compass?"

"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's."

"Thank you." Emma starts to head for the door, when Ava speaks again.

"Did you find them?"

Emma tilts her head. "Who?"

"Your parents."

"Not yet," Emma says, confirming the question that's sat in Mary Margaret's head since she arrived. "But I'm gonna find yours."

She heads out the door and Mary Margaret feels a tug at her heart to follow. She doesn't say a word until they're outside.

"Emma, are you sure that this is a good idea?" she asks. "I mean, maybe he's in town, but what if he doesn't want them? It sounds like he doesn't know about them."

"He's our only hope to keep them out of the system."

"I just think…maybe the better thing would be to call social services."

"We can't! They'll just be separated."

"I know, but I think we need a Plan B, if this guy doesn't want to be around."

"Maybe we could hide them, just until we find them a home…"

"Oh that's a great idea," Mary Margaret quips. "Hide the 12-year olds." She can see the reality of how that'd go hits Emma. "Look, sweetie, I know you want to help, and I know you want to stop them from ending up like you, but really, there's not much we can do."

"Maybe there's nothing you can, but this is my job. I've got it handled."

Emma gets in her car and zooms off, leaving Mary Margaret alone with her thoughts. She's normally the one with the hope speeches, but she's scared for her former foster daughter. What if she gets hurt? What if she can't do what she's promised for these kids? What will that do to her?

She walks back up to the loft and finds David cleaning up by himself. "Where are the kids?"

"I told them to go watch TV in Emma's room," he says, placing the dish in the sink. "Figured they could use a distraction."

Mary Margaret leans against the counter. "Do you ever think about them? Her biological parents?"

David pauses. "I mean…a little. In the beginning. I wondered how they could just abandon her on the side of the road."

"There has to be more to that story." She bites her lip. "Do you think she's still looking for them?"

"I don't know. There's not much information that she can find, we didn't."

"I know, but…I just don't want her to get hurt."

"Oh Mare," he wraps his arms around her waist. "Emma's a big girl."

"She's been through a lot."

"I know. But she has us now. We can help her through all of it."

Mary Margaret shuts her eyes, nodding a little. "We," she whispers. "I like the sound of it."

His lips brush against hers. "She's not alone anymore. We can help her through all of this."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Talking me down. I haven't had someone for this…in a long time."

"What else am I here for?"

"I can think of a few things."

A smile breaks out across her face and he matches it.

"Mission accomplished," he whispers slyly.

"You're such a dork."

"No more than you."


The day turns to night and Mary Margaret feeds the kids, finding books for them to read. David shows them how to make cookies and they're in Heaven. For a minute, she's brought back to when they were fostering kids. David was always so good with them, he always knew just what August and Emma needed. She knows that he'd be a good dad, he is a good dad. He just never got a chance to raise their kid.

Around 6 PM, she gets a text from Emma.

E: Get the kids ready and have David bring them to Michael Tillman's garage.

A smile breaks across her face and she shows the text to David. He claps his hands together and turns to the twins.

"Bundle up, I'll take you for a ride," he says. Mary Margaret knows he'll talk to them in the car, it's a lot to explain.

Nicholas heads to the coat rack to get his stuff, but Ava throws her arms around Mary Margaret's waist. She's caught off guard, but carefully hugs her back.

"Thank you," she whispers.

Mary Margaret's heart melts. She carefully strokes Ava's blonde curls. "Of course," she whispers. "You two can come back here anytime."

Ava looks up at her with innocent eyes. "You'd make a good mom."

With that, she takes off for the door, laughing with her twin. Mary Margaret holds a hand over her chest, biting down on her lip.

She folds laundry on her bed once David leaves, trying to get Ava's words out of her mind. She feels like a mom, even if she never got to adopt Emma. Still, it's a complicated situation. Will Emma look at her that way again? Probably not.

The door opens and Emma walks in, making her way over to the bed. She flops backwards on it, just like she did when she was little. Mary Margaret sets down her half-folded cardigan and gives her a soft smile.

"So, you found him?"

"Yup."

"And you convinced him to take the kids?"

"Wasn't easy. First time I went, he was pretty firm on not taking them…but then I went back. Showed him pictures…he couldn't say no."

"It's harder to walk away once you know a kid," Mary Margaret muses.

Emma slowly nods. "It's what I don't get about my biological parents. They saw me…they had to know me…"

"I'm sure they had their reasons, Emma. And maybe one day…you'll get what Nicholas and Ava had."

It'd kill her to lose Emma again, but she knows what's best for her. She needs closure with those people. They have answers that Mary Margaret can never give.

"No," Emma whispers. "Maybe it's best if I give up. I think I need to let go."

All hope from her voice is gone, which makes Mary Margaret frown. "No you don't."

Emma's face scrunches up adorably. "Really? If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look."

"We couldn't go after you, maybe it's something like that."

"Mary Margaret…"

"No, I'm serious, Emma. May be there's an explanation."

Emma sighs. "Well if it is, it's crazy. Something even crazier than Henry's theory."

"What's Henry's theory?"

"Well," she props herself up on her elbows. "That my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them."

Mary Margaret smiles pitifully. That boy is too damn sweet. "Aw. Who does he think they are?" He knows Henry has assigned a character to every resident. She's Snow White, Archie is Jiminy Cricket. Even Ruby is Little Red Riding Hood.

"For one, you."

Mary Margaret raises an eyebrow. "Me?" Her smile stays glued on her face, mostly out of confusion.

Emma nods. "Well, Snow White."

"Snow White has a kid."

Emma narrows her eyebrows. "Apparently that book you gave him, not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense."

Mary Margaret laughs. "You're my biological kid." She shakes her head. "You think I'd remember that."

"You'd think," Emma mumbles.

Mary Margaret sees the lost look on Emma's face. When she was younger, she used to say that she wished that Mary Margaret was her biological parent, that it'd make it easier. Henry's insistence on everyone being a fairytale character is sweet and innocent, but it also unknowingly hurts a lot of people. She would have given anything to have been the one to give birth to Emma, to not struggle with infertility. Thinking of the whole situation, breaks her heart. But Henry doesn't know anything about that.

She needs to lighten the mood. "You do kind of have my chin," she widens her eyes a bit, smirking.

Emma chuckles and Mary Margaret does in return, glad to see her smile again. "I think I need some air." She gets off the bed and heads back towards the kitchenette. Mary Margaret follows behind her.

"Want some company?"

"No, I need to think."

"I'll leave you some leftovers."

"Okay."

Emma pauses, looking up at her.

"I um…thanks for taking care of Ava and Nicholas today. I know it couldn't have been easy."

Before Mary Margaret can say that she's a teacher, it's what she does, Emma is kissing her cheek. Suddenly, Mary Margaret's eyes zone out. A series of visons flash before her eyes.

Eva is dead, Snow is crying as Johanna pulls her away.

Standing in the stables, watching Daniel and Regina kiss.

"True love is the rarest magic of all," Regina tells her, joy written on her face.

Her father's death, Regina's arms around her, holding her in a hug for the first time in forever.

Being banished, becoming a bandit. Robbing a prince and knocking him out with a rock.

"I will find you! I will always find you!"

Falling in love with Charming, taking back the kingdom, finding out that she's pregnant.

Her baby's cries as David carries her away, ripping Snow in two.

She stumbles backwards and Emma heads for the door. Snow's mind is foggy as she watches her foster daughter head out the door.

No, not foster daughter.

Her daughter.

Tears prick her eyes and her mouth drops open. Her phone vibrates, a text from David telling her that he's dropping off the twins now.

Her husband. David.

She lost so much time with him, with Emma. Her family was so close to her and yet so far.

Mary Margaret is gone, Snow White has risen.

Because really, Snow should've woken up in True North. ;)

Questions for me or the characters? Send them to my Tumblr, Twitter or CuriousCat: justanoutlawfic.