The Golden Trio. The Three Musketeers. There were many nicknames people had for Emma, Lily, and Alex. They had been born one month apart from the other, and had been raised together since diaper hood. They'd gone through everything together - learning how to ride bikes, first crushes, first broken hearts, driver's ed, and now, they were all going to the same college.
But this time, Emma had kept something to herself. She had yet to tell either of them that she'd been on that date with Neal, because she knew Lily would get that smug, 'I told you so' look on her face. Plus, that date had felt different from the dates she'd been on in their little town, and she really wanted to make sure she'd settled in her feelings before blabbing to her friends about it.
She couldn't stop thinking about how Neal's smile lit up the room, how the light hit his eyes, how that kiss made her feel like her heart was going to explode from happiness.
And they were planning a second date! Emma felt her head beginning to spin, overwhelmed. She'd spent an hour talking to her mom after she'd gotten home and showered, and thankfully her mom had been open to listening about how she felt and was encouraging her to see where the relationship went.
She wouldn't be nervous about the whole "meet the parents" thing if it wasn't for Eudora. She'd grown up knowing Mr. Gold all her life (he wasn't nearly as intimidating as he seemed), but Eudora was a stranger to her, and despite Neal's high praise of her, it still had her worried.
Emma was so deep in thought, she didn't realize her friends were approaching until Lily's lunch tray dropped down in front of her face, and Emma felt like she jumped a mile.
"Lily! Alex!"
"Geez Emma, any deeper in thought and you were going to land straight in your onion rings!" Alex remarked, setting her tray much more gently onto the table than Lily had. "What's on your mind?"
"Wait, don't tell us, it's Neal, isn't it?" Lily cut in, a Cheshire Cat-like grin already on her face. "He asked you out, didn't he?"
Emma rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fine, yeah, it's Neal. We went out on Friday."
"It's Monday and you're only just telling us this?!" Alex yelped. "Emma! We're your best friends!"
"Honestly, we were supposed to have a big montage of buying you an outfit for the date!" Lily agreed. "But how'd it go?"
Emma smiled, coy. "I don't kiss and tell, girls."
Alex looked like she was about ready to explode from happiness as she bounced in her chair, while Lily, as expected, looked smug.
"So he's a good kisser, huh?" Lily asked.
"Lily!"
"That's a yes then," Alex smirked.
"This is why I didn't tell you," Emma grumbled, biting an onion ring before taking a sip of her soda. "But what about either of you? Meet anyone interesting now that we're nearing the end of our first college semester?"
"Nah. No one's all that interesting. I mean, they're fine to talk to… well except the guy that sits next to me in my music theory class falls asleep every day… and drools."
Emma wrinkled her nose. "Ew. What about you, Lily?"
"Same. I mean, girls are cute which is always good but you know I've never been a big fan of dating," she said with a shrug.
"I still think you should've asked out Maggie from your biology lab," Alex pouted. "You would've been so cute together."
"I'm not the dating type," Lily countered. "But I have been very well acquainted with Maggie as of late."
Emma gave Lily a triumphant smirk. "So I'm not the only one keeping secrets then, huh?"
"Um, I already told you all my secrets Emma. You're the one still being coy about your date with Neal."
She frowned. "What is there to tell? He let mom take a proper picture for her scrapbook, he took me to Tony's for dinner and then we took a walk on the beach until it started raining. And then we planned for another date."
Lily wagged her eyebrows. "Oooh, date number two, huh? When's that going to be?"
"I don't know. His mom and sister are coming in for Thanksgiving, so he's got to figure all that out before we decide," she said with a small shrug, tossing a napkin on her empty plate. "You know how busy it gets around here during Thanksgiving so I don't expect it to be before then."
"Then that gives us time to plan your outfit!" Alex chirped.
Emma groaned and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, this isn't the first date I've ever been on. Why are you two so obsessed with this?"
"Because it's fun to watch you squirm," Lily shrugged.
"You two are the worst," Emma grumbled as her phone buzzed. "Oops, time for me to head to my math final! Guess we'll have to talk later! Byeeee!"
Emma was out of the cafeteria before Lily or Alex realized what happened, her cheeks still bright pink.
Thanksgiving in Storybrooke was a chaotic time for the small town. The scent of baked goods became even stronger in the air as the bakers frantically produced pies, cookies, breads and cakes for those who didn't want to bake them themselves.
The town's decorating committee, headed by Mary-Margaret Nolan, was hard at work transforming the town into something out of a magazine, with banners and an array of decorations on each and every building and light pole in the town.
Belle had mapped out the route for the parade, X's carefully marking the sidewalks and roads before the sheriff's deputies put the barriers up to block traffic.
The Nolan family was hard at work during their free moments from school or work, harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables for their friends and loved ones.
Neal was used to a hustle and bustle in town, but Storybrooke was something else. The beauty of the fall colors he'd only seen on TV or in movies along with the decorations made it feel like something out of a cheesy Lifetime movie, and Neal didn't mind. It would be fun to show it off to Mama, Tiana, Mr. La Bouff and Charlotte.
Bangor Airport was only a couple of hours from Storybrooke, but waiting for the plane to come in was agonizing. Neal found himself caught between frantically checking his phone and pacing between the arrival list and the nearby cafe.
"NEAL!"
Charlotte La Bouff's voice cut through the crowded airport like a knife, her blonde hair bouncing with each step she took.
He should have figured she'd be leading the charge.
"Hey Lottie - oof!" he grunted as she swept him up in an almost bone-crushing hug. "It's good to see you again."
She giggled, pulling away and allowing him to go into the familiar arms of his mother and sister and give Big Daddy a firm handshake.
"Welcome to Maine," he greeted.
"Oh honey let me look at you," Eudora said, putting her hands on Neal's shoulders and looking him up and down. "You've been eatin' right? Getting enough sleep?"
Neal chuckled and hugged her again. "Yes Mama, I promise. Papa and Belle have been making sure of that."
"How far is it to Storybrooke?" Tiana asked.
"About two hours, so if anyone has to pee I'd do it now. I'd also brace yourself for the temperature difference once we get outside."
"Oh don't worry about that, Neal. It was in the 50s in DC when we got our connecting flight."
Neal scratched the back of his neck, thinking of the flurries he'd driven through to get to the airport. "Right. Yeah, the 50s."
"You weren't kiddin' about the weather," Eli said, shivering as they loaded Neal's Jeep with the luggage and retreated into the warmth of the car.
Neal laughed. "Yeah, it's taking a bit to adjust to. And they're calling for snow tomorrow too. Not much, but enough to coat the ground."
"Oh how fun!" Charlotte said, her knees bouncing. "I've never seen snow before!"
"Hopefully you'll enjoy it then," Neal chuckled, pulling out of the airport and beginning the scenic drive back to Storybrooke.
It took longer than the normal two hours to get back, with Charlotte and Tiana wanting to stop here or there to take pictures of the colors that lit up the trees, but they made it just as the sun went down, casting a dusky glow over Storybrooke as he pulled into the parking lot of Granny's.
"You want typical diner food, this is the best place to come," Neal said. "And… Emma's working tonight."
"Ooh! So we'll get to meet your girlfriend?" Tiana teased.
"She's not my girlfriend," Neal replied, praying none of them noticed his flushed face as he sent a quick text to his father to tell them they'd made it to town safely.
"Not yet," Charlotte's sing-songy voice hummed as she pushed the door open, and Neal suddenly remembered just how it was to be surrounded by two sisters prodding into his business.
"Anywhere you like!" he heard Emma call.
They carefully put a couple of tables together, saving three for his father, Belle and Gideon, before Emma appeared.
"Neal, hi! This must be the New Orleans crowd you told me about," she said, glancing at the others. "My name's Emma and I'll be your server today."
"So you're the famous Emma we've heard so much about. It's so nice to meet you, honey," Eudora said with a wide smile.
Emma grinned. "It's nice to meet you too, Eudora. Neal's told me so much about you guys."
"Papa, Belle and Gideon are on their way too Emma," Neal said. "Do you mind grabbing drinks for them too?"
"Iced tea, Coke and regular tea. I got it, Neal," Emma chuckled. "I'll give you guys some time to look over the menu."
"Oh, she's good," Tiana said, her eyes wide as Emma retreated back to the kitchen. "You sure she isn't interested in the restaurant business, Neal?"
Neal snorted. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure Tiana. She's studying criminal justice and wants to become a detective like her dad. Mama, who did you get to keep an eye on the restaurant while you guys are up here?"
"Ray and Evangeline. Figured another wife-husband duo would be good for the restaurant, and besides, they know how to whip the employees into shape," she said with a small laugh. "But we decided to only do takeout orders the day before Thanksgiving. I'm hoping that will make things easier for the staff."
"It'd sure make things easier on me," Emma grumbled as she reappeared with the tray of drinks. "But Granny's stubbornly set in her ways."
"Granny?" Tiana asked.
Emma nodded toward the cash register, where Granny was overseeing a transaction from her wheelchair. "94 years old and still stubborn as the day is long. She's an old family friend of my mom's though, so I try not to complain too much around her. Oh! Hi Mr. and Mrs. Gold, Gideon! Do you guys need menus?"
"We know what we want, thank you Miss Nolan," his father said, taking a seat next to Eudora as Emma set the tea in front of him. "We'll take our usual orders."
Emma nodded, departing again when Neal and the others gave their orders.
"How were your flights? Not too much trouble, I hope?" Aiden asked, sipping at his tea.
"Oh, not at all, the only big trouble was trying to navigate Reagan National. We got a little turned around and almost missed boarding," Eli explained. "But otherwise it was smooth sailing, as they say."
"Mrs. Gold?" Tiana asked. "What were you plannin' on cooking for Thanksgiving? Because, I was wondering if I could make sweet potato pie."
"Oh, we usually do the typical Thanksgiving feast. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, salads. We would never turn you down if you wanted to make something," Belle replied. "My father will be bringing mashed potatoes and Aiden's mothers will be bringing vegetables."
Tiana grinned. "Awesome! My daddy's sweet potato pie is the best in New Orleans."
"We can head to the Nolan's farm tomorrow and see if they have sweet potatoes. I know Emma mentioned they have a lot of produce they still need to get rid of," Neal said.
"We've gotten most of our produce from the Nolans since David took it over," Aiden said with a soft smile. "David has really brought the farm back from the brink of bankruptcy. It's like he has a magical touch for farming."
"Ooh well, I can't wait to see what sort of produce they have," TIana said. "I love goin' to the Farmer's Market in New Orleans, so it'll be a real treat to see a farm up close!"
Charlotte's eyes turned dreamy. "Don't you remember going to that farm in first grade? The horses were so pretty!"
"Lottie, you dared me to kiss a frog and it jumped on my head and wouldn't let me go until the farmer managed to get it off. I've blocked out most of that field trip," Tiana replied with a roll of her eyes. "Poppy called me the Frog Princess for a month!"
"You never did read that fairy tale again…" Eudora mused as the table broke out into soft laughter.
As the evening wound down and the group returned to the Gold house, Neal watched as the group splintered off into conversation.
His father, usually quiet and unassuming, sat with Eudora, looking at every photo she presented him - she had made copies of every single photo she had of or with Neal.
Belle, ever charming and worldly, was having an animated conversation with Charlotte and Eli about travel.
Gideon was with Neal and Tiana. Gideon, like their father, was at first quiet and unsure of the guests, but slowly began to come out of his shell, talking with Tiana about why food made the certain reactions it did when it was cooking.
The Gold household was full of laughter and light that night, each person going to bed with a smile on their face, and a small stomach cramp from laughing too hard.
The next day, Neal drove through the light dusting of snow up to Nolan farm with Tiana and Charlotte.
"Oh Neal, this town is just too cute! It's like somethin' out of a story! Oh! I know! I should do the top ten cutest small towns for my next blog!" Charlotte squealed.
"Lottie, you haven't been to any other small towns," Tiana laughed. "How are you gonna do that?"
Lottie bounced in her seat like a dog on its way to the park. "Then I'll do the top ten cutest places in Storybrooke!"
"I'm sure Mayor Mills-Hood will be honored to put Storybrooke on the map," Neal laughed as he pulled up to the farm. "Here we are."
"Oh, hello Neal!" Mary-Margaret called, carrying a large basket of produce. "You must be here to pick up your dad's order."
Neal nodded. "Hi Mrs. Nolan, yeah, that's right… but my sister was wondering if she could take a look around and see if there's anything else she wants?"
"Of course. Were you looking for anything specific, Tiana?"
"Sweet potatoes. Mrs. Gold mentioned you have them."
Mary-Margaret smiled. "We do. Let me take you to the greenhouse and show you." She set the basket down on the table before leading the trio over to a large greenhouse. "David and Eva built this together to protect some of our plants. There are a lot that we tried to plant for years, but the climate here can be… unpredictable. But now we can with the greenhouse."
"Mrs. Nolan, do you mind if I take pictures?" Charlotte asked. "Your farm is just so pretty!"
She hummed. "I suppose that'd be okay. Just don't disturb any of the animals, alright?"
"I won't, thank you!" Charlotte bounced on her toes before running off.
Mary-Margaret laughed softly, handing Tiana a couple of bags. "She's sweet."
"She's a lot to handle sometimes, but she's like my sister," Tiana laughed. "Thank you so much for this Mrs. Nolan."
"It's no problem," Mary-Margaret replied. "Oh, and Emma should be back soon if you wanted to say hi, Neal. She went to get breakfast with Lily and Alex."
"Oh - okay." He hoped the flush of his cheeks went unnoticed, or at least, was blamed on the sudden humidity of the greenhouse.
Tiana gave him a smug grin from behind a sweet potato plant and continued harvesting the sweet potatoes.
"Do you and your family have a big Thanksgiving, Mrs. Nolan?"
Mary-Margaret nodded. "Oh yes. It alternates between mine and my step-mother's home, but we do love to do Thanksgiving in our family. And this year is even more special since Margot is home this year with her girlfriend."
Neal gave her a weak smile. One day, he'd be comfortable announcing that bit to the town too. But for now it was safer to keep their relationship hidden. "I'm sure it was even more insane when Emma and all of them were kids, huh?"
"You have no idea," Mary-Margaret laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "I can't even tell you how many accidents we nearly had with the kids running through the kitchen when one of us was carrying a heavy pot."
"Okay, I think I've got what I need!" Tiana announced, the bags full right to the top of sweet potatoes, green beans, peppers and berries. "If nothing else, some of these'll make a great snack before we head back to New Orleans!"
"Here, Mrs. Nolan, I have the money for Papa's order too," Neal said, handing over the money his father had given him before they'd left.
"Thank you, I'll be back with your things," Mrs. Nolan said as the trio left the greenhouse and headed back in the direction of the farmhouse and driveway. "Oh - there are the girls now."
Neal grinned, waving to Emma, Charlotte in an animated conversation with Lily.
"Lottie, come on! We need to head back to help Mrs. Gold!" Tiana called, adjusting the produce in the back seat as Neal got in the driver's side.
He noticed the blush on Charlotte's cheeks the moment he pulled onto the road back to his father's.
"So how was the farm?" he asked casually.
"Oh… you know, it was nice. The sheep and the dog and the snow everywhere…" Charlotte replied, sounding wistful.
Tiana gave him another smug look as she glanced in the back. "And Emma's friend? C'mon Charlotte, your cheeks are as pink as your gloves!"
"Okay, fine. Lily was not bad to look at either," she admitted, looking down. "We gave each other our phone numbers."
"That's awesome, Lottie! I'm really happy for you."
Neal grinned. "Lily's a cool girl. Glad to see someone caught her eye."
"Yeah… we'll see where it goes. Oh Tia… this town really is magical," Charlotte sighed. "Maybe we'll find someone for you too!"
"Oh Lottie no, that's - "
"I mean it!" Charlotte declared, back to her normal self. "I found a princess, and I'm gonna find you a prince!"
The morning of Thanksgiving was nothing short of chaotic. Belle had everyone up bright and early, getting as much prepped for their meal as they could, before everyone hurried to the heart of the town for the parade.
It was a quaint thing, with the high school's marching band leading the way as floats created by the other high school clubs were pulled down the road by whatever trucks they could find. Gideon was on one such float, for his science club - it was a giant vinegar and baking soda volcano that spewed out fall-colored liquids. Neal wasn't sure how they'd managed to pull that off, but he was sure Gideon would be happy to answer.
What got the most buzz in the town though, was the float carefully built to the specifications of the decorating committee - the float pulling Marco in his Santa costume, nine reindeer suspended in the air greeting the cheers of children, while an unhappy-looking August waved to the crowd.
Charlotte was buzzing around taking photos of everything for her blog, happily chatting to anyone that caught her attention.
"You know, it's almost like she's at home here," Eli mused. "I didn't think I'd ever see her so happy outside of the big city like this."
"That's the charm of Storybrooke," Aiden replied with a chuckle as Regina began her welcome speech from the small stage that had been set up. "It's like a fairy tale."
That evening, Neal settled between Tiana and Gideon as the group sat down at the large dining room table for dinner. His grandmothers, Anna and Isobel, sat across from him, serene smiles on their faces while his step-grandfather, Moe, looked a little tense, but relaxed when Eudora or Eli spoke to him.
He hadn't known his grandparents growing up - all of them had died before his birth. Milah never spoke about them, but Killian would talk to him about his mother, Alice, saying nothing but praises about her.
"My only wish is that you and your cousin could have met her," he'd said on more than one occasion. "She would have loved both of you."
"I'd like to propose a toast," his father said, rising to his feet and holding his wine glass with his free hand. "This past year has been extraordinary, and we are fortunate to be able to celebrate this Thanksgiving with more of us than ever before. Though the circumstances were less than favorable, I believe things happen for a reason, and fate brought us together for a reason. We have our Baelfire back, and new family members to welcome to our heart. This year, I am grateful for that. To our family."
"To family," the rest of the table echoed, clinking their glasses together.