A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating recently. I was really busy with preparations for moving and going to university and then a little overwhelmed when I finally got here. Sorry! Anyway, this chapter was prompted by Linzerj. Apologies for the title, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up and I just couldn't resist the temptation. :P Hope you enjoy the chapter.

A Bug's Life

When Emma woke up, the house was quiet. Great, so she'd overslept again and missed seeing Henry off to school. Not only that, but she'd missed out on breakfast and would have to try to scrounge something from Granny's on her way to work, which would be awkward seeing as Ruby would be waitressing and Emma hadn't spoken to her since the whole wolf incident.

Sighing, Emma rolled out of bed and rushed about to get ready, aware that the clock on her dresser said it was already almost nine, pulling a comb through her curls whilst using her other hand to grab her black boots. She ran down the stairs with her boots still unzipped, finally doing them up as she pulled on one of her jackets and jogged out the front door to her car.

She knew she was pushing the speed limit, but she also knew that if she didn't hurry up and get to work, she'd have a backlog of people and problems to deal with.

Four days later and life was still hectic.

Hurrying into Granny's diner, Emma pushed past Dr Whale with a nod and averted her eyes as she passed by Ruby to seat herself in one of the stools, busying herself with a menu.

"Miss Swan!" someone suddenly exclaimed.

Looking up, Emma found herself face to face with Archie.

"Archie," she greeted.

He smiled kindly.

"Oh, sorry, it's Jiminy, isn't it?" she asked, her voice plagued by uncertainty. Only vaguely did she recall Henry mentioning the name in connection with the town's shrink. Plus, remembering everyone's names was becoming increasingly difficult in Storybrooke. Emma didn't remember there being so many fairytale characters in her childhood storybooks. "I think you should book an appointment for me," she joked.

"Well, my office is always open, though rather crowded at the moment," he replied with a shrug, taking her literally.

"You too, huh? The phones have been ringing off the hook at the station."

"Well, everybody's confused and needs help. You're just one of the people they're turning to. But if you do need to see me, you are welcome any time. I imagine twenty eight years without any parents creates some rather big, er, abandonment issues. Pinocchio tells me things aren't going so well with your parents."

"God, he really doesn't know when to shut up, does he?" she moaned, accepting a bear claw and a cocoa with cinnamon from Granny with confusion as she hadn't even placed an order yet.

"Can I get a latte?" Jiminy asked Granny before turning back to Emma. "He's just concerned for you, he's your friend."

"It's fine though. He's totally over-reacting. It was just an argument." If there was one thing in the world Emma didn't want, it was a family shrink session.

He gave her a look of pity.

"What?" Emma asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Jiminy replied, just a tad too quickly. "Your parents don't agree with you," he mumbled, caving under her glare. It was no wonder Emma was such a successful interrogator. Even without her supernatural ability to tell when people were lying, Emma's fiercely piercing eyes would be enough.

Biting her tongue, Emma stood and left, reluctant to run her mouth and say something she would later regret. Her cocoa was lukewarm by the time she got through the doors and slumped into the chair at her desk, still angrily obsessing over what Jiminy had admitted.

She hadn't been overreacting when she told them she didn't want to be set up with someone and she certainly wasn't overreacting about then about them telling Archie personal information. She was an adult. Her life was just that: her life.

Sighing, she pushed aside the thoughts and turned her mind to her current case – reuniting Jefferson with his daughter, opening the file she had begun creating.

After a visit and two phone calls she was no closer to even persuading the girl's parents to at least allow Jefferson access and visiting rights. And it wasn't like she could really contact a higher authority. The matter of curses and fairytale characters complicated everything.

Placing some 'MISSING' posters up for Tom Thumb, Emma found herself suddenly face to face with her parents and Jiminy.

"Emma-" the three of them said at the same time before she cut in.

"-What is this? An intervention?" she asked derisively.

"Yes, actually," James answered. "We need to talk about this and we can't do it if you keep shutting us out."

"I'm not shutting you out. I'm asking you not to interfere in my private life. There's a difference," Emma said, correcting him as she stapled yet another poster to a tree.

"But we're your family," Snow argued. "We're part of your life now, Emma-"

"That doesn't mean you can try and set me up with August when he's right there!"

"Keep calm, Emma," Jiminy interrupted.

"We're just friends," Emma continued, shooting Jiminy a look.

"Okay, point taken, perhaps we were a bit forward," James said.

"We just want you to be happy," Snow added gently. "In our world you'd have had a choice of suitors, all vying for your hand-"

"-Brilliant. Just what I want. To be sold to the highest bidder."

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed in shock.

"Of all people we believe in true love more than most – we would have let you follow your heart and we still will, in this world and the next."

Emma rolled her eyes at David's words and returned her attention to her posters.

"Your parents are trying to talk to you, Emma. It would be wise to listen," Jiminy said, finally stepping in to mediate the situation.

Reunion (Chapter 2) – Same day as the breaking of the curse

Witch Hunt (Chapter 12) – Same Day as the breaking of the curse

Parents together (Chapter 6) – 1 day later

Wooden Man (Chapter 8) – 2 days later

The Big Bad Wolf (Chapter 4) – 2 days later

A Bug's Life (Chapter 13) – 4 days later

Mad Hatter chapter (Chapter 14) – 6 days later

Up Goes the Beanstalk (Chapter 7) – 1 week later

Hiking trip (Chapter 9) – 1 and ½ weeks late

Huntsman (Chapter 3) – 2 weeks later

Regina chapter (Chapter 15) – 3 weeks later

Storming (Chapter 1) – 1 month later

Dance with Somebody (Chapter 11) – 1 month later

Dreaming (Chapter 5) – 5 weeks later

A Fairy Mystery (Chapter 10) – 5 weeks later

A/N: Sorry again for how late this chapter is. It's perhaps not quite as finished as I would have liked, but I had to give you guys something, didn't I? Unfortunately, I have no idea whatsoever when the next chapter will be coming, asI haven't started actual lectures or anything yet and I don't know how much free time I'm going to have. I will do my best to get an update up every week but it may not happen. Thanks if you have stuck with me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter (and the premiere of season 2 – t'was awesome). I'd really appreciate some thoughts on it – the chapter not the premiere…though you can talk to me about that if you want to. :P

Thanks for reading! Much love, SabreDae

xxxxxxx