Chapter Four~

By the time Darcy returned from Granny's Diner with two sandwiches and soda's to the police station she had made up her mind that what had happened at the pawn shop was an accident and meant nothing. Upon entering she found Emma talking to Mary and David who stopped when they noticed her.

"Uh hi, I only have enough for Emma and I but I can get more?" she asked sheepishly but David smiled saying to her,

"No that's alright we were just leaving actually." and as if to prove his point he started to the door but Darcy stopped him with,

"Where you three talking behind my back about the Curse thing that Henry was trying to explain to me earlier?" when neither spoke she knew that was the reason and so set down the carry-out bag and demanded,

"Explain, now." it was Emma who said,

"It's best if we do it at home Darcy, when Henry can try and put it all into prospective and we're all together." at that she looked to Mary and David leaving Darcy to wonder why she'd say that. Confused, she shrugged but kept her eyes narrowed as the two left the station so that Emma and Darcy were alone. They started to eat and ate in a heavy silence; Darcy mad that Emma was keeping things from her and Emma upset that she felt she had to in order to protect her best and only friend outside of Storybrook. Finally Emma said,

"You took a while getting the food."

"I took a detour." Darcy said honestly so that Emma glanced up from her desk and sandwich in question but Darcy said nothing, her face unreadable from years of practice so that Emma dropped the subject. At long, long last the day was over and they could return home with Emma having made arrangements for David to come over and hopefully Henry who had been able to stop by while Darcy was gone getting the food. So the three sat in the family room of Mary's apartment; Mary and Emma near each other and Darcy on a chair by herself. A knock at the door revealed David with Henry and once they shut and locked it Henry opened his Book and started.

"Ok, so I figured out that either someone has to have had contact with someone from the Enchanted Forest in order to come here, or they have had to been from the Enchanted Forest to begin with. Darcy, you knew Emma from the start right?" Henry asked as they all sat around the family room so that Darcy snorted at the question saying,

"Uh yeah, I met her several years ago though probably after you were born."

"And how old are you exactly?" he persisted making Darcy raise an eyebrow and say,

"That's for me to know and you to figure out thank you very much." that left Henry to frown hard at her non-answer as David finally said,

"Then you meeting Emma is the reason you were able to enter the town. But that doesn't answer why now though, what would compel you to do so now?" at this Darcy got flushed with anger as she said in a deadly soft tone,

"Back in Boston I have nothing of my own; no one to call 'family' or 'friends' besides Emma here. I don't have my own house because I can't hold a job for hell, shelters I stay in kick me out because I bring the bad guys of town, I've slept out in the winter in parks under benches and without Emma—I have no family or friends. When she up and left I lost all of that and I couldn't even begin to think of having to deal with that again. The family I once had died in a fire that should have killed me too, but I was 'lucky' because I was at a friend's house. Funny right? Well not really because they couldn't find any other living relatives because I my parents where only children and I had no grandparent's—wonderful! So yeah, excuse me for wanting to have MY family back!" by the time she finished Darcy had stood from her seat and had shouted the last few lines fighting back hot angry tears of hate and hurt before storming off to the room she shared with Emma. Everyone was silent as she slammed the door shut and Emma rubbed her temples groaning with annoyance, this wasn't the way she wanted things to go.

"Is—is that true honey?" Mary asked slipping right into her Snow persona at seeing her daughter hurting so much as Emma laughed coldly nodding as she said,

"Every damn word of it. That's the worst part of it—she lost her parent's when they died in that stupid house fire. Then she was off to the foster system, grew out of it and on the streets. Every word was true and I don't know what else to tell you guys." Henry sat with his head hung low, David putting a comforting arm around his shoulders as Mary said,

"Poor kid."

"No, no that's the last thing she wants is to be pitied. She never, ever wanted pity threw out all the years I knew her." Emma said a bit too harshly before exhaling and saying,

"I'm going to go see how she is." so standing she went to the shared bedroom to find Darcy lying on the bed apparently asleep.

"You aren't asleep Darcy, I know that." Emma said softly entering the room to carefully shut the door behind her as she sat on the edge of the bed. Darcy said nothing as Emma told her,

"Darcy, you know that the past hurts more if you hold onto it." only here she laughed cruelly saying as she sat up using her elbows to look at Emma with a cold glare,

"Yeah? When was the last time you honestly believed in that shit?"

"When I got here. Darcy, I'm serious—those people back there are my family in more ways than one. And that's why we need to explain why." Emma began but Darcy shot off the bed saying in a hurt voice,

"So you found a family then? Some folks to call your very own? Well congrats to you then sweetheart! And you also found your kid, fantastic! I'm so super proud of you I can't even begin to explain!"

"Darcy please," Emma said trying to calm her hurt friend down but she was crying at this point as she moved away continuing,

"And what? Let me guess, the Curse is somehow involved and the Evil Queen casted it or something and I'm not a part of it and that's why terrible shit is going to start to happen to everyone and that's why you guys want me to leave. But I can't so you're all screwed! Meanwhile I—once again—have no one and are alone again all because some brat showed up at your doorstep!"

"Hey that 'brat' is my son!" Emma said feeling her motherly defenses kicking in as she stood up to stand in front of her best friend, the person she helped and been through so damn much—and all of that was unraveling right before her eyes because of one word—family. Eyes hot with tears that were still falling down her cheeks, Darcy huffed out,

"I'm going for a walk, and if something happens then maybe it will be for the best." so with that she stormed out, right past the waiting others who stood upon seeing her sobbing figure that grabbed her jacket and slammed the front door shut behind her. Outside Darcy figured she'd go to Granny's Diner since it was a good long walk and cool off with a good hard drink. Walking with hands in her pockets, she hummed to herself aimlessly sniffling softly and keeping her head low. When she reached Granny's Diner she was more composed though she looked probably like hell and ordered a double scotch with no ice.

"Such a hard drink for someone so young." she heard to turn and find Mr. Gold sitting in a booth by himself smiling at her. Scowling at him, she stuck her tongue out at him then turn back to Ruby at the bar who gave her the drink. Hearing footsteps with a limp, she felt someone sit beside her on the stool one over and Mr. Gold say,

"You shouldn't be alone in such a state dear."

"Screw off you don't know a damn thing." she snapped taking a sip of the bitter drink but sighed with it settled in her stomach. Mr. Gold watched her finish her drink and order a second before he order one for himself. They sat in silence having their drinks before he noticed the distinct glaze in her violet eyes.

"Best to take you back to Mary Margaret's apartment dear, you're drunk and I'd be damned if you walked home intoxicated." Mr. Gold told her helping her to stand and paying for their drinks causing Ruby to raise a slender eyebrow at him. He dismissed the look and helped Darcy, who was feeling rather dizzy, to his black sleek car. Once at the passenger side door Mr. Gold had to fight with the doorknob but froze when Darcy leaned into him, pressing her nose into the crock of his neck and smiling against the skin. Grinding his teeth, he knew she was drunk but even so felt his body shift uncomfortably.

"Darcy-dove, get in the car." he cooed and as if on command she did once he opened the car door. They drove in silence, him watching her stare out the window with glazed over eyes. When they finally reached the apartment complex he reached over intending on getting her attention and let his fingers trail over her cheek.

"Darcy-dove, we're here." he said softly so that she turned to him and stared with confusion added to her eyes. For a moment she looked like she was going to say something—but then her brain found some common sense and she was out of his car and out into the night leaving him alone in his car.