A/N: Thank you for your views, favorites, and follows! I greatly appreciate the exposure, and would love any feedback you might have for me. I'm sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, but I'm confident I'll be able to deliver more content sooner as a result :) That said, enjoy!


Chapter 7

Happy Birthday

Emma was sitting at her desk in the bail bond's office eating lunch when she noticed a familiar face just outside the glass pane by the front door. Lily's face was excited and her eyes and smile exuberant. Her dark hair was pulled back into a high pony tail and she wore a pink jacket and tight, black pants. She gestured towards the door, and Emma nodded for her to let herself in.

There were only a few other people in the office, a red headed secretary and a few bail bondsmen that wore muscle t-shirts, just getting in after some time out in the field. Lily swooped into the office and came to place her hands on Emma's desk. "Guess what birthday girl," she said in a sing-song voice, and Emma visibly cringed, expecting the worst. "What?"

"I got a few girls at work that said they'd go out with us tonight for your birthday," Lily said, smiling innocently. Emma internally groaned. She didn't relish hanging out with Lily's friends on her birthday, but the shit-eating grin the woman had on her face was hard to resist. Lily only wanted her to enjoy herself on her birthday, and this was her way of making up for the past.

"Alright," Emma sighed, conceding defeat to the brunette. "I guess it wouldn't kill me to have a good time," she said. "And I could use a drink," she added. Lily clapped her hands together happily, "Great! I'll tell them to meet us at our place before." Emma blanched, not happy about that fact in particular, when Lily swiveled around and headed towards the front door.

"I'll see you after work! And hey, you're invited, too, you know!" she declared, gesturing towards the red head at the desk nearest the entrance. The red head's name was Felicity, and she smiled awkwardly, darting a glance towards Emma for reassurance.

Emma didn't personally know Felicity very well, as she tended to spend time with the male bail bondsmen over the secretaries at the office since they had more in common. Felicity was nice enough though so Emma nodded her head and gave Lily a shrewd look. "Of course, the more the merrier," she said, and Lily laughed as she shut the front door behind her.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ONCE * UPON * A * TIME * ~ * ~ * ~ *

After her kick boxing class following work, Emma was thoroughly beat and ready to soak in a hot tub for some much needed alone time before the pre-party mixer. She had invited a few of the women from her class out for the night, and she wasn't sure how many people would be invading her home in just a few short hours' time.

Emma unplugged her baby blue stereo from their bedroom and brought it into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. She placed it on the sink and pressed the CD button, already loaded with one of the relaxing CDs Lily sometimes used to fall asleep at night. Emma turned the hot water tap alone on and when the tub was full, she added lavender bath salts and slipped into the tub. She sighed in relief as her body unwound, the hot water doing wonders on her tense muscles.

She heard the front door open and close, and assumed Lily was getting ready for the mixer. She'd texted Emma earlier to ask her what drinks to get for the party, and Emma was glad that Lily was willing to play host in all this. Lily would be sure to clean the place up a bit while Emma relaxed, and Emma's brow creased guiltily a little at the thought.

Lily was trying so hard to do the little things for Emma, and the blonde saw her efforts but still wasn't fooled. She knew under Lily's smiles and wiley attitude lay the heart of a real opportunist and schemer. Lily was trouble, and Emma was tired of getting burned. She still loved Lily, but wasn't willing to forgive her just yet.

Emma exited the bath after a long while and managed to look happy and relaxed by the time their guests showed up at their front door. Some of them brought presents, but most of them didn't. The red head Felicity came bearing a bottle of wine and a few of Lily's friends were the first to arrive.

Before long, there was a decent amount of party goers in their living room and Emma spotted August sitting on their couch beside Felicity. Lily must have invited him. The way the pair were looking at each other, both with drinks in hand, didn't settle well with Emma and she found herself annoyed as she hastily turned away from them and weaved her way back towards the kitchen. From the kitchen, she had a safe vantage point from which to see them.

There was a bottle of vodka on the kitchen counter, and Emma found a shot glass and poured herself a shot. She tossed it back and slammed it down on the counter, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she studied the couple's profiles across the room. Felicity tittered at one of August's jokes and her hand came up to smack him playfully in the chest. The blonde rolled her eyes, typical August.

After her second shot, Emma chastised herself when she recognized the feeling of jealousy flaring up inside of her. As if things weren't complicated enough with Lily, Emma dismally thought and scoffed, deciding to go back to the bathroom where she could be alone. She turned away, trying to ignore the red head and the irresistible, leather clad writer in her living room confusing the hell out of her.

Lily came knocking at the bathroom door not long after. "We're going!" she announced loudly to the party goers, and August was only too glad to let the tipsy ladies be on their way. The red headed Felicity was hard pressed to shut up about their mysterious writer friend all night, however. Try as she might, Emma was perturbed by the red head's presence and couldn't let loose like her friends intended for her celebration.

They bar hopped for a good two hours before Emma decided to call it a night a little early. She'd unwillingly had an eye on Felicity all night and had noticed her go amiss from the group. Emma wondered if her jealousy was getting the best of her as she grabbed her coat from coat check. She was trying desperately to convince herself she wasn't trying to catch August with that bimbo by leaving the bar shortly after her disappearance.

She crept up the stairs to her apartment, and was dismayed to see a disheveled Felicity standing outside the writer's front door when she topped the stairs. The red head had her black high heels in hand and if looks could kill, Emma's eyes would have bored a hole right through Felicity's head. Her worst nightmare come true, August screwing one the floozeys from up at the office she worked at. As Felicity rushed past her, Emma reflected how somehow, she had not been aware that she dreaded such a thing so much until just now.

"Emma?"

Emma was surprised when August suddenly opened his front door to her. She had been so shocked by seeing Felicity flee the scene, she hadn't even attempted to put her keys in her own lock yet. "What're you doing here?" he tried again, confused by the angry look on her face as her brows furrowed.

"What am I doing? What are YOU doing?" she accused angrily, pointing a finger into his chest. His well sculpted, manly chest. "How dare you go around feeling up office bimbos when you're supposed to be taking us to this Storybrooke place!" she nearly shouted.

"I'm what?!" he exclaimed, totally forgetting the reason for their fight in the first place. This was too easy. Now she was going to come with them to Storybrooke? Just like that?

"Yeah," she said, looking anywhere but at his face. Realization dawned on him as he came to understand why she appeared so upset. She thought he and Felicity were getting... better acquainted. "Now what makes you think I would do something like that?" he asked.

Emma blanched and gestured over her shoulder, down the stairs where the culprit had fled. "Don't get me wrong," August explained. "It's not like she didn't try. We were going to, but the poor girl started throwing up all over my living room instead," he elaborated with some distaste.

At this, Emma burst into laughter and smacked him on the arm flirtatiously. "That's what you get, Lover Boy," she teased him and August rolled his eyes. "Wanna come help clean up?" he asked hopefully, gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder.

"No, I think I'll pass," she commented. "But I will go with you two, I think I'm ready now," she said gently, reminding him of his promise to them for more information on their parents. She had decided to trust in him and take the ride to Maine with him, and God only knew what would come of the journey ahead.

"I'm glad you came around," he said, looking deeply into her eyes and searching for some sign that she truly believed.

When he looked though, her eyes were smoldering up at him and his breath caught in his throat. She was looking at him that way, and it took all his will power and self possession to clear his throat uncomfortably. He started to turn back towards his home, and gave a little self effacing chuckle.

"I guess I better go clean up then," he said, and Emma's face looked crestfallen for a moment. She recovered, and took a step back from him. "Okay," she said. "But let me ask you this, when will we go?" she asked.

"We'll leave tomorrow."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ONCE * UPON * A * TIME * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Emma was laying in bed under their yellow covers when she heard the front door open and shut. She heard the loud sound of Lily's purse hitting the floor, and then their bedroom door opened and Lily stood hesitantly in the doorway.

"Emma?" she asked tentatively, her voice quiet as her eyes adjusted to the dark of the room. Emma rolled over in bed, and propped her head up on her hand as she looked towards Lily. "Yeah?"

"Are you alright? Sorry I just got home," the brunette apologized, and Emma could hear the slur in her speech. The bed sank as Lily sat on the bed beside her, and Emma felt inclined to sit up also.

"I'm okay," Emma replied, pulling her striped pajama pants clad legs up to curl her arms around them. "I'm glad," Lily said, leaning in to press a kiss against Emma's lips.

Emma pulled back though, her brows furrowing menacingly and her green eyes sparked with anger. "Woah!" Lily had the decency to look abashed and bit her lip guiltily, looking down at their pillows at the head of the bed.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed out, sure she would never be able to say it enough to soothe Emma. She felt absolutely miserable, and drunk, and alone. "It's okay," Emma said at length, patting Lily's arm reassuringly.

She turned on the bedside lamp, and a faint orange light enveloped them. Emma sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I had to pull back like that, only I'm just not ready yet," she explained sadly, hanging her blonde head. Lily felt tears sliding down her cheeks and felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest. There was nothing she could do to make her lover forgive her. It seemed only time would heal Emma's wounds, and every minute she had to wait to get back into Emma's good graces was a minute of pure agony.

Lily sniffed, and nodded, and made to lay down next to Emma on the bed. They had not embraced as lovers since moving back in together, and Lily had tried to make tonight, Emma's birthday night, the day they truly decided to let the past be bygones. Emma had other things in store for them, apparently.

She lay down shoulder to shoulder to Lily, and spoke about their plan. "I'm ready for us to go to this place, and see this man August knows so much about," she said, her voice still denoting a hint of disdain for their journey. Lily was just grateful that Emma was willing enough to go anyway, she resolved she would just have to take her small pleasures where she could for the time being.

"Really?" Lily inquired, turning her head to gaze hopefully at her lover. Emma said, "Yeah, if you guys really think this guy might be able to help us, who am I to deny you guys the chance?"

Lily could tell this was somewhat of a sacrifice to Emma, but Emma could be a bail bondsmen anywhere. It wouldn't kill her to relocate one more time. Who knows what they were going to find, but Lily and now Emma were willing to find out.