Chapter 5 A list of firsts

Word Count 1428

"Nice to meet you Henry." Emma said taking his hand, she contemplated telling him her name but decided he was harmless, "I'm Emma."

"Good to meet you too. There aren't many kids around here," Henry admitted, "I hope to see you around here more often." He walked past her.

"Wait!" Emma called turning to face him as he turned to face her, "So that's it? You're leaving?"

Henry laughed and brushed his blonde hair from his eyes, "I'm sorry. I should've mentioned I have an appointment. Although—"Henry pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled something on it handing it to Emma, "If you get a chance call me."

Emma looked at the paper as Henry walked away a string of numbers were on it but she had no idea what it meant.

She peeked her head out from behind the school seeing Henry walk towards the town. She looked to where Mr. Gold was before but he had vanished. Emma and Cleo drifted into the town the small piece of paper still in Emma's hand.

She soon found herself standing outside Granny's Diner and knew immediately she couldn't resist going inside. The doors chimed upon her entrance, the restaurant was nearly empty except for a bald man at the counter with a beard and an angry expression, an elderly woman behind the cash register and a gorgeous brunette in an apron and Emma knew immediately who every single of one of them was. She took a seat on the stool next to Grumpy and smiled. She sloshed the coffee in his hand as she nudged him, "Hi."

"Get lost kid." Leroy turned and placed his coffee mug on the table.

"Wow you really are Grumpy!" Emma laughed.

Leroy stood up and faced the pint sized girl, "What did you just call me?" He shouted.

"Give her a break Leroy, you can be pretty grumpy." Ruby said cleaning up the spilt coffee from Leroy's cup.

He scoffed and pulled his wallet from his pocket, "Won't be getting a tip from me today." He picked up the bill he had already left on the table and walked out of the diner.

"You knew around here kid?" she asked Emma pulling a mug from under the shelf and turning on the kettle.

Emma nodded, "You could say that. Sorry that I made that man angry."

"Leroy? Don't worry about him, he's always grouchy." She laughed, "You're the first new face I've seen in here since Henry." Ruby placed her head in her hands and studied the young girls face. "Who are your parents cause you sort of look familiar."

Emma grinned, "Really?" She wondered how much of their lives in the Enchanted Kingdom were imprinted in their minds, the Evil Queen couldn't replace all of it could she? "I'm pretty sure you don't know them though, I actually don't live in town."

"Interesting. I've never met someone from out of town before." She grinned, "What's it like?"

Emma frowned, "It's nothing too special really, kind of boring. Not like here, so many people, new smells, kids my age."

Ruby looked at Emma confused, "Where did you say you were from again?"

"I didn't." Emma said simply.

Ruby shrugged, she couldn't blame her for being mysterious after all a little mystery didn't hurt anyone. "So kid, you like hot chocolate?" She smiled.

"I've never had it." Emma admitted.

She turned as the kettle buzzed, "You are sure in for a treat than, on the house." She poured the hot water into the powder and stirred the contents with a spoon. "Do you like cinnamon? People don't usually drink it like this but one my regulars Henry loves it."

"Sure, I'll try it like that." She smiled. Ruby took a can and sprayed white foamy stuff on the top of the hot chocolate and sprinkled cinnamon on top. She slid the mug over to Emma placing her head back into her hands. Emma took a sip the whipped cream creating a foamy mustache above her lip. She laughed and licked it off, "Mmmm that's really good."

"Guess I'll have to put it on the menu and call it 'Henry's Hot Chocolate.'

Emma pulled the paper Henry had given her out of her pocket and slid it to Ruby, "Speaking of Henry, what is this?"

Ruby picked up the piece of paper and laughed, "No boys ever given you their phone number before?" she questioned.

"A what?" Emma asked.

Ruby furrowed her brows, "A phone. Rings, you can talk through it…" Emma still held a look of confusion, "Really never seen a phone?" She shrugged and figured she must really come from somewhere bizarre. "Well, you dial this number into the phone it'll ring about 1 to 4 times and someone on the other end will answer it allowing you two to talk from two separate locations." Emma nodded slightly but still not fully understanding. "Here look I'll show you. I think Henry should be with Archie right now." She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hey Archie its Ruby. Oh no don't worry it's not about Pongo." She laughed, "Actually I was calling for a friend of mine, and she wanted to talk to Henry."

She waved Emma over who slowly took the phone and placed it to her ear.

"Hello?" she heard through the speaker.

Ruby smiled and nodded her head, "Talk!"

"It's Emma." She said.

"Oh hey Emma!" Henry's voice perked up, "How did you get this number?"

"Ruby called for me, I don't have a phone and she knew you were with Archie."

"Cool, I was hoping to hear from you actually."

"Really?"

Henry laughed, "Sure! Well I know you don't live here but I was wondering if you could come back this weekend, I wanted to show you something."

"The weekend that's when?"

Again Henry laughed, "In three days. No phones and no calendars where you're from huh?"

Emma mentally slapped herself, she was screwing up in so many areas people were sure to question her soon. "It just slipped my mind. Sure, I'll meet you at Granny's Diner this weekend."

"See you then!" She heard a click and the phone began to beep.

"You can hang it up now." Ruby said overhearing the dial tone on the phone.

Emma hung up the phone, "Thanks for showing me how to use it."

"What are friends for?"

Emma perked up, "Really? A friend."

Ruby laughed pulling something from the glass cabinet, "Of course. Now, if you haven't had hot chocolate I'm almost positive you've never had cherry pie and Granny's is to die for." She sliced a piece off slipping it onto the plate.

Emma looked at Ruby and smiled, she knew that this really was her mother's friend. She didn't need to know everything about you she trusted you'd tell her in time. "You never asked me for my name."

Ruby smiled and took a bite of her own pie, "You'll give it to me when you're ready."

Emma took a bite of her pie and rolled her eyes relishing in the taste, "My name is Emma."

Ruby laughed, "To die for isn't it?"

Emma and Cleo had reached the outskirts of Storybrooke. Cleo had shifted to a human as they crossed the busy street. "What are those things anyway?"

"Cars, trucks, motorcycles." Cleo smiled, "You'll love riding on a motorcycle one day Emma although I'm not sure Snow will be pleased."

Emma rolled her eyes having no idea what was so special about motorcycles. "So what's it like being a cat?"

"It's different, quiet. It's no picnic eating vermin all the time." She said honestly.

Emma frowned, "How about I start saving you dinner and when Mother and Father are sleeping you can become a human and eat it. We might not be able to do it all the time but every now and then."

Cleo smiled, "I'd like that."

They walked together through the woods Emma bouncing questions off of Cleo about this world and the Enchanted Kingdom filling in some of the small details that would be necessary for her next trip to Storybrooke on the weekend. When they neared Emma's home Cleo shifted back to a cat and they entered her home with Snow and James none the wiser.

"Have a good day Emma?" James asked scooping his daughter into a hug.

Emma smiled and thought about her firsts for the day, first hot chocolate, first friend, first slice of cherry pie and her first phone call. "The best!"

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to write, been a busy holiday season. Hope you all had a happy holiday and a happy new year!