Chapter 7: A Swan and A Thief

Emma watched as the yellow school bus drove away. Though Henry was insistent that he could walk himself to and from school Emma still felt better walking him and plus it gave them a little extra added time to themselves which Emma always enjoyed.

Once the bus was gone fully from view Emma walked back into Granny's where her parents were seated at a table.

"Any problems to the bus this morning," Mary Margaret asked.

Emma shrugged. "Oh you know, the typical complaint of him being old enough to do it himself."

"He's growing up fast," said David.

Emma let out a small but sad smile, "Yeah he is."

"No nightmares last night though," he asked.

"None," Emma replied. "It seems to be helping."

Snow took Emma's hand and squeezed it, "And what about you?"

Emma took a deep breath, "That's debatable."

Ruby came over and placed a cup of hot cocoa on the table in front of Emma. Emma looked up at smiled at her friend or was it aunt? Though Snow and Ruby were not in any way directly related the two were a lot closer to sisters than any two people could be.

"Thanks Ruby," she said to the woman.

"Welcome," Ruby said with a smile. "Oh some guy came into the bed and breakfast last night looking for you which I thought was kind of strange since people don't come here. He's actually kind of cute."

"What guy," Emma asked.

Ruby pointed him out. "He's sitting right over there."

As if hearing his name being called Neal turned from around in the seat he was occupying. He gave a warm smile to Emma. Emma on the other hand felt as her heart was going to burst from her chest and shatter and there would be no way to fix it since there were too many pieces.

Mary Margaret and David both glanced over at the stranger. Tightening her grip on Emma's hand, Mary Margaret turned to her daughter.

"Emma, what is it?"

Not being able to find the words or any for that matter, Emma got up from the table and began walking toward the exit.

Neal placed some cash on the table and called out, "Emma," he said as he followed her out of the diner and across the street.

Mary Margaret and David looked at each other with concern.

Placing his hands in his pockets he asked, "So was that your little brother or…"

Emma stopped and turned, facing him, the two standing on the side walk.

"What the hell are you doing here," she asked him.

"I came to find you," he said casually.

Emma wasn't having the casual conversation though. "Now, after ten years you decide to find me now!"

"I know the timing sucks and…"

"Yeah the timing does suck. You shouldn't even be here at all."

"If you would just let me explain, Emma."

Emma let out an annoyed laugh, "Explain, you want to explain how you just left me there to take the fall for you? You want to explain how you ratted me out to the cops. You want to explain how the hell you left me alone and… Yeah I'm sure there's a real good explanation for that."

"There is Emma I swear."

"Whatever it is, I don't care. Stay away from me," she said to him as she turned to walk away.

"If there wasn't a good explanation," Neal said raising his voice slightly, "Then how do I know those people you were sitting with were your parents?"

Emma froze in her place.

"I told you there's a good explanation. You honestly believe that I would hurt you like that? That I would leave you because I wanted to? I never wanted that."

Emma wanted to turn and look at him, to give him the benefit of the doubt. To hear his explanation as to how he knew that Mary Margaret and David were her parents. If people didn't know Snow White and Prince Charming then usually the first thought was that they were friends. Aurora had thought that once. So how did he?

"Can we talk, please?"

Emma wanted to talk to him but she couldn't be sure of her own feelings at the moment. Her mind was racing. It had all ready been a bad night as it was, seeing her memories play out in front of her and now he was actually here.

It was all too much to handle.

"I have to get to work," she said not bothering to look at him as she made her way down the side walk.

Neal could only sigh as she walked away. He wanted to go after her, to tell her everything but he didn't want to seem desperate either. There was no rush. He wasn't planning on going anywhere any time soon.