Chapter 4: The pure and simple truth

Word Count: 1767

Fear, terror, fright, panic. Another human being has never made Emma feel this way until now. "You shouldn't tell people you're the child of Prince Charming or Snow White." The man in the hat said reaching past her. Emma's body stiffened, "There are people here who would kill for that sort of information." He pulled his hand back and held a notepad. He pulled a pen from the pages and scribbled something.

The fear in Emma slowly dissipated as the man walked away, "What are you doing?" she asked.

The man flipped the notebook closed, "I've written all of the remaining members of this town in this book," He said raising it in his hands.

"And what did you write just now?"

The man grinned, "I wrote down your name and your parents names. Your parents are a few of the people missing from this world and I've been dying to know why they weren't here in Storybrooke."

Emma grinned, "So this is Storybrooke then?"

He nodded.

"Please what is your name?"

"Jefferson." He smiled. "You're a very lucky individual Emma."

"Why is that?" Emma queried.

Jefferson laughed slightly, "Because you encountered one of the few people in this town who actually know who you are, let alone who they are."

"And who am I?"

Jefferson laughed again, "Isn't it obvious? You're the savior."

Emma smiled, the savior. She had heard her father and mother tell her she was the savior and that she had a destiny but it sounded better coming from someone else. "What do you mean you're the only person in this town who knows who they are?"

"That Emma, is a very long story."

Cleo scratched at the door. Snow and James had always made sure she had a way into the house and this man who was holding Emma hostage, hadn't. She cried in meows and searched the windows but she couldn't find an entrance. Cleopatra dashed off to the only other person in this town who could help her.

Emma had listened to stories upon stories, Jefferson explained how he along with Mr. Gold and the Mayor Regina were the only people who knew their true identity's, the other people in this town were left with false ones. He told her that until she came to his house he was never allowed to leave it and had to view the outside world through a telescope. Jiminy was no longer a cricket and was working as a therapist. Ella and Prince Thomas were separated and Ella was left pregnant and heartbroken. Red worked in a diner with Widow Lucas and they fought constantly. "Everything is all wrong." Emma shook her head, "There are suppose to be happy endings and magic."

"I know, but that's why you're here."

Emma frowned, "My parents would be very disappointed to hear that I came to Storybrooke." She admitted, "From what I've heard them say the prophecy said I would break the curse on my 28th birthday. They're worried that my coming here sooner might do something to the curse."

Jefferson shook his head, "You have no reason to worry, and the prophecy said you would break the curse at 28. It's destiny."

Emma heard a scratching at the door, "Oh I forgot about Princess!"

"About who?" Jefferson asked.

"My cat!" Emma went to the door and opened it seeing Princess and someone else she didn't know. Princess came into the house and placed herself between Emma and Jefferson. "Who are you? Are you here to see Jefferson?"

Blue peeked her head inside the house and saw Jefferson sitting on the couch, it was obvious that Cleo had over reacted, but maybe she had reason considering who lived here. "Actually I'm here to see the both of you." Jefferson had stood and moved into the foyer. "Jefferson may I come in?"

"You know who I am?" He questioned, he had watched the inhabitants of Storybrooke for years, he saw their lives and everyday routines but he was never included in any of them. No one knew him; no one remembered him, he was invisible.

Blue smiled and took a step inside his house, "I think we have a lot to talk about. All of us." She looked at Emma. "I think we should take the cat out of the bag, and I mean that quite literally Cleo."

Jefferson and Emma both furrowed their brows towards each other, "Who is she talking to?" Emma asked. In front of their eyes Emma's black cat had twirled around in a magical dust and transformed herself into a human. Emma took a step back, her eyes wide and confused, "I don't understand what's going on?" She looked to Jefferson, Blue and then to the person she had always known as a cat.

Cleo took a step forward, her heart nearly broke when Emma took another one backwards, "Emma, dear… my name is Cleopatra, Blue-" she gestured to the fairy, "—came to me before the curse happened and told me of its prophecy. She said that we needed you to come to Storybrooke before your 28th birthday and that I would be the one to guide you here."

"So all this time you've been posing as a cat?"

Cleo smiled, "You could say it's my second form, although I must say I haven't spent 14 years as a cat in quite some time." It was almost weird for her to actually talk to Emma, after all of these years the only expression's she could give her were purrs and nudges.

"We didn't do this to play a trick on you Emma, we did it to protect you and to help you along the way." Blue paused and took a step towards Emma, "I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself my name is Blue, in the Enchanted Kingdom I was a fairy, although here I'm not quite sure."

Emma looked at her, "The Enchanted Kingdom? Is that what our home is called?"

Blue looked towards Cleo confused, "Your parents haven't told you of your home?"

"They've told me about the people and castles… but they never really even said that this wasn't our world, I just sort of figured it out on my own." Emma admitted.

Blue sighed, "Well I must admit this is quite unexpected. I hoped your parents would be honest with you but it seems they've tried to protect you more than I thought they would." Blue walked into Jefferson's living room and took a seat, Jefferson, Cleo and Emma followed. "There is a lot for you to learn Emma, about the people here and about our home; of course you can't learn about it all in one night. I think it'd be best for you to find out for yourself. Meet some of the people here, if you have questions of their true identities ask myself, Cleo or Jefferson; I think the three of us need to be a support system for what you learn but I really think you should find out about these people on your own."

Emma nodded. This was the first time she had really been around different people other than her parents and she was actually enjoying it. She loved her parents but there was a huge void in her heart seeking for friendship. "I'd actually really like that."

"Now Emma—" Cleo started "—I hope you don't mind but I'd like to continue being a cat with you, of course around your parents but here as well. On our own in the woods I'd love to be myself but otherwise we can't risk anyone finding out who I am."

Again, Emma agreed. "So where do I start?"

"Wherever you choose."

Emma had left Jefferson's with Cleo trailing on her heels. It took about a half hour until she finally reached the town of Storybrooke. There was so many buildings, different shapes, sizes, colors. They all said different things 'Granny's Bed & Breakfast' 'Gold's pawn shop' 'Storybrooke School.' Emma turned around taking it all in at once, she felt someone bump into her, hands reached out to steady her, "I'm so sorry." The man said to her. "I don't think I've ever seen you around here, who might you be?" The man asked getting a better look at her.

"Emma." She mumbled.

"What a lovely name." he smiled, almost eerily.

Emma glanced over her shoulder, she had no idea who this man was and already was starting to feel nervous around him, "Thanks."

"My name is Mr. Gold." He extended his hand, "I own this town."

Emma connected the pieces Jefferson had already told her, this was Rumplestilsken and she knew he was a dangerous man. She had wished she had known who he was before she divulged her name because she regretted it. "It was nice to meet you." She said before she turned and dashed off. Emma ran for the school jumping over the fence and dashing towards the playground. She looked over her shoulder and couldn't see Gold anymore, turning her head back around just as she crashed into somebody else.

She hit the floor scraping her elbow on the ground. This was the first time she had ever ran into anything, all these years learning the forest she couldn't even survive one dash through Storybrooke. "Watch where you're going." She heard a boy say.

Emma rubbed her head and looked at him; he was picking up his books that were spilled across the floor. She looked at him and wondered who he was, she had only heard of a few young boys, Pinocchio and Hansel, but it had never occurred to her that there could've been more. She knew from her mother's drawings that Pinocchio was a red haired boy and Hansel's hair was brown; this boy had blonde hair. "Sorry about that." Emma bent over to help him pick up his books.

The boy looked up at her, "Are you new here?"

Considering how fast Emma had given out her name before she refrained from offering it. "Yeah I live out of town came to visit a friend here."

"We don't get many visitors here." He said, "In fact, I think you might be the first."

"Really?" Emma handed him the last of his books. "So have you lived here long?"

"Just since my mother adopted me which was 12 years ago."

Emma understood now why she couldn't put a child from the Enchanted Kingdom to this boy; because he wasn't from there. "What's your name?"

"Henry; Henry Mills." He offered his hand and a smile.

A/N I really felt that Regina would've adopted a child no matter what since love is what she is truly seeking therefore she has adopted a child in this timeline though this is not Emma's Henry obviously; I decided that since the name was her father's she would've named her adoptive child Henry no matter what.