The first snow fell Sunday night, leaving about three inches of white fluffy mass on the streets of Storybrooke. It was inevitable for them to gain snow, rarely do they get a winter where they would not experience at least some snow rather it be light or heavy. It was reported that sometime over the weekend that the small town in central Maine was smack dab in the center of a large storm cloud, therefor the town responded to the in coming winter by setting up the appropriate guards and Sheriff Hunter sprinkled salt on the roads and had his two junior deputies salt the side walks.
On Monday Emma reported bright and early as instructed on Sunday if/when it snowed. She dressed like she always did in jeans but a sweater instead of a tank top. She forgoes her red leather jacket in favor for the black leather parka she picked out herself for winter, that monthly budget really came in handy. In the left pocket she shoved a pair of leather gloves and the other a blue beanie that Ms. Lucas made her. Graham was already there, hands in his own leather jacket and he gave her a small wink. She saw it but shrugged it off, signed in, and stood next to her fellow comrade to receive their orders of that day. Mr. Hunter came in with a gust of cold air and a pair of shovels over his shoulder.
"Alright Junior Deputies as you can see it snowed last night and as it is the job of the sheriff's department to protect not just the citizen's but make sure that the streets are safe it falls on us to make the sidewalks and roads usable and less hazardous as they are now," he stepped in front of Graham and held out one of the shovels. "Graham you will take the business side and clear and place markers on the emergence road in the woods," Graham nodded and took the shovel with a 'yes sir'. "Swan you will handle the residential side, start with in the back and work your way forward. Take one of the wheelbarrows from when you salted the side walks and give them a new coating. Understood?"
"Yes sir," she took her own shovel and left, and like she was told, dragged one of the wheelbarrows with her up the street. The Lucas' house sat just on the edge where the residential and the woods met and to her it was a good place to start. She placed the barrow at the corner of the street, there was no real reason to lug the thing with her if she didn't have to, and started shoveling. She tried to keep things neat by placing the freshly shoveled snow on the side where the lawns where for they were larger than the margin between the side walk and the road. She didn't want to creat large piles where the snow would crumble and fall back onto the road and side walk, which would make her current work useless.
Ruby came bouncing out of her house with a steaming mug of warm milk and a still warm biscuit that was lightly coated in honey. The red streaked brunette walked with her as she shoveled, providing not just companionship but small bits and sips when she asked for them. Her red loving roommate also helped her with the rest of the block by wheeling the barrow behind her to coat the side walks in pink salt. They separated when they were back at the Lucas', but this time on the other side of the road. Emma waved her friend goodbye and trucked on.
The one good thing about Storybrooke was the way it was designed. The town itself was built as thought it was boxed in by the vast forest that surrounded it so even though there were no cul-de-sac's the streets ended with the forest and that was her cue to switch over to the other side of the street. She would stop several times to breath and let the sweat that coated her face and neck flash freeze. She took the time to think for she was approaching the line of town houses and she couldn't continue to do what she was doing originally for the town houses lacked front lawns. The only thing she could do was either pile up the snow on the side of the building or carry it to the forest. She decided on a combination of the two.
Cora didn't understand why she had to do this every year but for some reason or another they made her. Permission slips she understood but why couldn't the resort remember that they took a trip every year around the same time? But no they made fill out the forms and make the calls that made her want to tear her own hair out. It was for this reason that you could find Cora in her kitchen, with the kettle oiling behind her in hopes that a cup of tea would calm her down. The kettle whistled behind her and she lifted the silver pot off the burner and pored the steaming liquid into the awaiting mug. As she turned to place the kettle next to the stove she saw something that caught her eye. A figure, caring a shovel full of snow across the street in the direction of the forest edge. At first she didn't understand why the figure would be shoveling snow in front of her house until she saw who it was. Emma Swan in her brown boots and wet jeans was getting back up after falling on a particular slippery patch of ice before resuming her shoveling. Abandoning her tea, Cora went over to the hall closet to take out her coat and slipped on the galoshes that she kept by the door. Her drive way was already clear and salted, and she had to admit it was the best it ever looked when this much snow fell.
"Ms. Swan," the blonde looked up, her cheeks were flushed in a combination of the cold and her activity.
"Cora," the teen barred the shovel in a pile of snow before she stopped and looked at the older women in front of her. "Can I help you with something?"
"I was just wonder why you would be out here shoveling snow when you can be inside and stay nice and warm?"
"Believe me when I say the last thing I want to do is be out here shoveling snow but I have no choice in the matter, its an order given to me by my CO and I have to respect that. Besides I'm almost done so no biggy."
"Well could I at least offer you a cup of tea or something to drink?"
"Depends do you have hot chocolate?"
"I believe I do."
"What about cinnamon?" Cora smiled and gave off a chuckle.
"Yes I do."
"Well then," Emma lifted the shovel out from under the snow pile before placing it on her shoulder. "Who am I to refuse a nice cup of hot chocolate," she followed Cora, leaving both the wheelbarrow and the shovel inside of the garage, which is how they entered the house. The town house was what she expected from Cora, elegance mixed with wealth. To her it didn't feel like home but it wasn't her home so her opinion didn't matter. The kitchen was stark white and it kind of reminded her of one that you could possibly find on a cooking show. The head mistress rummage threw her cabinets for a minute until she found what she wanted.
"The hot chocolate will only take a moment but is there anything else I can get you?"
"Would it be weird or to much to ask if I ask you if I can borrow your dryer? My socks you know being out there in the snow and my boots only help so much and I just realized it is weird for me to ask that of you so just pretend I didn't," Cora placed a hand on the rambling girls shoulder.
"Emma it's fine it's no trouble at all. Dryer's just down that hall we came out of first door on your right."
"Thank you Cora," with a nod Emma left to find the dryer. She found it but then came the next task, how to operate the appliance. She knew how to work the basic washer and dryer since she has been doing her own laundry since she could learn how to but leave it to Cora to have the most complicated device around.
"Emma?" she whipped around to see Regina in door way, arms crossed at her chest. She didn't look or sound displeased or threatened that Emma was in her house, it was more like shock or surprise to find her in her laundry room.
"Regina nice to see you."
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh your mom offered me a cup of hot coca and let me use your dryer but I can't quite figure it out," the dark brunette laughed and walked over to where Emma stood in front of the dryer, caring with her the faint sent of apple and a hint or orange which was odd but strangely pleasant.
"You just turn this knob here," an olive tone hand reached out to turn one of the larger knobs. "And then pull. What is it that you are trying to dry?"
"My socks, trekking out in the snow all day can do a number on you and your socks."
"Indeed it does," she watch Emma as the blonde leaned against the washer and undid one boot, then the next, to take off her soaked dark blue socks and then place them in the dryer.
"Hey can I place my hat in there as well or not?" the blonde pulled out a blue-grey beanie from her pocket and held it out for her to see.
"It will be fine just let me place some other things in there," Regina took the beanie from the blonde and took some of the things that were in the washer along with Emma's three small items. "By the way what are you doing out there?"
"Shoveling, Graham got the business and emergence wood path while I got the residential side but I'm not complaining for I got a hot biscuit, a warm mug of milk, and now hot chocolate," the class president turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Ms. Lucas I started there and worked my way forward just like Mr. Hunter told me to do," Cora called saying that the hot chocolate was ready and they left the laundry room in a comfortable silence.
Cora had to leave as soon as she gave Emma her coca, saying something about calling someone. Regina pulled out a bottle and poured her own drink to join her blonde classmate.
"Are you enjoying your break?" Regina looked from her glass to the blonde.
"I guess it's going fine like it usually does I guess. There isn't much for me to do get ahead on some assignments, work around the house, talk to Katheryn, play chess on my computer..."
"Whoa sorry to interrupt you there Regina but you play chess?"
"Yes why?"
"Do you want to play with a real person?"
"You know how to play chess?"
"Yes why is that so surprising?" and then Regina that Emma never thought she see the prime and proper class president ever do, laugh and loudly at that. Regina's laugh was soft with a hint of a snort that Emma found extremely cute for some reason. Regina's uncontrollable laughter only lasted for a minute or two until she stopped but the smile remained.
"I would love to play a game of chest with you."
"Great whip out that chess board women and let the battle begin. I call white," the class president shook her head as she went into the living room to pull out a wooden box with where the top slid off to reveal the chess pieces. Regina handed her the white ones while she shuffled the black ones closer to her. They placed their respective tiny armies in their rightful places. With one last look at each other the battle began.
"Damn it!" Emma hissed as she looked at ever single chess piece that was on the board for the thousandth time, and once again she ended up with the same result; a tie. This was her and Regina's second game, in a row, that ended in a tie. After the first round where it ended with her capturing Regina's queen with her white knight, she had to leave so that she could finish shoveling but told Regina to keep the board out if she was still interested in still playing with her. Regina nodded and actually waited for the blonde's return, and just in case she couldn't make it she gave the junior deputy her number because they could still play by phone. But not even an hour later there was Emma slightly breathless and eager to play another round, which ended in another drawl. Regina watch amusingly as the blonde squatted around the table to analyze the board, she did the same when making a move. It was pretty quirky but surprisingly heart warming at the same time. "I demand another rematch!" the class president laughed and rolled her eyes but decided to entertain the blonde in another rematch. There game was going well until a scream interrupted Emma's trail of thought. A women who was just a little older then they were came in with a basket on hip and dressed in a stark white dress that reminded her of the nurses in Fly Over the Cuckoo's nest.
"What the bloody hell is this!?" the women held out Emma's blue-grey beanie. Emma hunched her shoulder in realization that she did in fact forget something when she went into the laundry room to retrieve her socks from the dryer.
"That's mine," Emma sunk more in her seat as the women turned her murderous gaze onto her.
"Then why is it with my laundry? And more importantly who are you?"
"Leave Emma alone Zelena she didn't put her beanie in your laundry I did. It was ridiculous to dry her socks and beanie and your laundry separately when it takes less energy to do them together," Emma looked between the two girls and was both amazed and terrified that two people could hold a conversation with only intense looks. They didn't stop until Cora came down looking a little more beaten than she did the last time Emma saw her. Her shoulders slumped when her eyes landed on the two silent feuding girls.
"Oh no who did what now?" the two girls started to argue at the same time which made the edge of Cora's eyebrow twitch. "Enough! I have had a long day with incompetent imbeciles that could not do their job properly without instruction all day and the last thing I need are the two of you squabbling so tell me again what happened one at a time please."
"Regina mixed in someone else's laundry with mine when she knows how much that irks me."
"You wouldn't have known if someone else had placed their laundry with yours if Emma hadn't forgotten her hat so I see no harm other than the fact that you are a complete hypochondriac."
"Mother!"
"Regina's right Zelena unless Ms. Swan's hat caused any harm to you or your clothing I see nothing wrong," Zelena huffed and stomped up stairs but not before she tossed Emma's beanie over her shoulder which landed on the floor at the base of the stair. Cora rolled her eyes at her eldest daughters behavior and returned the apparently offending object back to its owner. "By the way Emma Mary Margaret called looking for you saying that she expected you home before it went dark and was concern when you didn't return," Emma rushed over to the window and swore under her breath that it had indeed turned dark and she was late, Mary Margaret was so going to kill her.
"I apologize I didn't know how late it was and I have to get home before I am in more trouble than I already am. This was fun Regina we should do it again sometime."
"Same. Here let me help," the class president picked up the beanie that was on the table and placed it on the blonde's head, folding it where the blue-grey yarn met her eyes. They were no more than a few steps away from each other and Regina's finger tips seemed to send surges of electricity straight to her brain. "There," Regina smiled a her for a second then went to where their interrupted chess game was and proceeded to pack it up.
"I guess I will be going thank you for the hot chocolate and having me over Cora."
"It's no problem at all and if you like I could drive you to where you have to go. Are you staying with the Lucas' again?"
"Oh no after Thanksgiving Mary Margaret looked at apartments for us to stay at I live just down the road so there's no need to drive me."
"In any case it's dangerous to walk out their by yourself with it being dark. I'll walk you home. While I'm gone try not kill each other," she shot a look at Regina who responded with a tight teasing smile. It was a little awkward walking with Cora right next to her but thankfully the walk was short. She barely unlocked the door when Mary Margaret brought her into a bone crushing hug.
"Oh my god Emma don't do that you had me worried sick," Emma mumbled something against her chest but she doubt it was coherent as she was being squished against her supervisors chest.
"Ease up on the poor girl Mary Margaret I doubt she can breath," Mary Margaret looked up and all but abandoned Emma. The blonde teen took it as an opportunity to escape and hopefully fly underneath the radar for the rest of the night.
"Thank you for walking Emma home Cora."
"It was my pleasure I didn't know that you rented an apartment in town so it was a pleasant surprise."
"Yes well now you know where to find me."
"Indeed I do. Well I must be going have a goodnight Mary Margaret," she turned to leave but stopped when a hand took a gentle hold on her wrist.
"Are you alright Cora?" the head mistress opened her mouth to say that she was fine but it died in her throat when she saw Mary Margaret's big pale green eyes widen with concern.
"No I called to confirm our winter trip after new years but the stupid hotel lost our reservation, which I find astonishing because it was a reservation for over a hundred people, so I have been on the phone all day trying to fix it but all it has given me is a massive head ache."
"I'm sorry Cora."
"Don't be you didn't do it Mary Margaret. So now I have to find out a way to fix it before everything gets filled up and getting no where."
"Can I help? I mean I'm mostly sitting here doing nothing all day and even though the college and center might not be open tomorrow but I'm sure Tink and Mulan wouldn't mind spending time with Ruby and Ms. Lucas wouldn't mind watching them for a few hours. Emma is not problem she would be off at station and I... could..." she trailed off when the older women stepped into her personal space.
"Did you know that you and Emma do this rambling thing when your nervous it's kind of cute," Cora leaned in and placed a soft kiss and the short hair women's flush cheek. "I would enjoy your company Mary Margaret maybe it would remind me to not murder my phone or the person on the other side."
"I would be honored," with one last kiss they bid each other goodnight and Mary Margaret went in to make the appropriate arrangements before turning her attention to her little delinquent of the night. She laid awake that night with anticipation for the upcoming day.
A/N: I'll stop there for its been a while sine I have written a Cora/Mary Margaret centered chapter so for now I will leave you with this until next week.