Chapter 5: Storybrooke

Neal and Emma arrived in Storybrooke, Main at 8:15 PM that night. It seemed eerily quiet, almost as if the town had some kind of curfew where no one was out past eight.

Neal shut off the car and turned to look at Emma, "Well guess we're home."

Emma smiled, "Home. Now we just have to find a place."

"Diner's still open. Maybe someone in there can recommend something."

Emma nodded and the two of them got out of the car and made their way inside. A waitress with long dark hair and red streaks wearing a white shirt, red skirt, and apron stood behind the counter. There were a few customers, one of which was a slightly older woman about the age of the waitress with cropped brown hair sitting at a nearby table with a book.

Emma looked at her. There was something familiar. As if feeling the same thing Mary Margaret looked up at Emma, their eyes meeting and lingering.

Neal placed a hand on Emma's back. "Hey, you okay," he asked.

Emma shook her head. "Fine," she answered. She looked at Mary Margaret and said, "Sorry."

Mary Margaret too was taken out of her trance like state after watching Emma. "No, it's okay."

"I'll be with you in a minute," Ruby said to the couple.

Neal nodded and both he and Emma took a seat at the counter as Ruby took a drink over to Mary Margaret.

"So what can I get you," Ruby asked in an uninterested tone when she came over to the pair.

"We're looking for a place to stay," said Neal.

"Stay," Ruby repeated. "You mean here, in this town?" To her it sounded like the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

"That's the plan," said Neal.

"Suit yourself," Ruby replied. "There's a B&B on the other side. Just go through the door in back.

"Thanks," Neal said to her. He turned to Emma. "I'm gonna go check us in. It was a long drive, order anything you want," he said placing a kiss on top of her forehead before making his leave.

Emma ordered a hot cocoa and when it arrived Emma asked for a jar of cinnamon.

"Funny," Mary Margaret said behind Emma. Emma turned to look at her. "And here I thought I was the only one who had that quirk."

Emma smiled and walked over to Mary Margaret's table. Emma motioned to the chair, silently asking for permission. Mary Margaret nodded so Emma took a seat.

"Same here," Emma said continuing from the comment Mary Margaret had made. "It's something I've been doing for as long as I could remember."

Mary Margaret nodded in understanding as it had always been that way for her too. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard."

The door chimed behind Mary Margaret signaling the sign of a new customer.

Emma shook Mary Margaret's hand. "Emma. Swan."

"Emma," said Mr. Gold. Emma looked up to see an older man with a cane coming near their table. "What a beautiful name."

"Thanks," Emma said unsure about how to feel about the stranger's comment.

Ruby handed Gold a wad of cash; this month's rent.

"Thank you dearie," Gold said to her. He turned back to Emma. "So I take it you'll be staying with us? It's not often this town gets any visitors."

"That's the idea," said Emma.

"Hey Emma, I got our room," Neal said coming into the diner.

He looked up to see Gold standing near Emma and Mary Margaret; a woman who the older lady at the B&B told him about. All of the nightmares Neal had ever had over the past three hundred or so years came to him in tenfold.

"Get away from her!" Neal shouted.

Gold turned to Neal. "I was just saying hello."

"I don't give a damn what you were doing."

Emma stood up and walked over to her boyfriend-slash-fiancé.

"Neal it's fine," she said placing a hand on his arm. He felt extremely rigid. "I'm fine."

Gold looked at Neal curiously. "Have we met before?

Neal looked coldly at his father. Gold recognized that look. It was the same eyes he had seen years ago. Gold nodded in understanding.

"Ah yes," Gold said in a soft tone. "Now I remember."

"Neal," said Emma, "What's going on?"

"She doesn't know does she," Gold asked, finding this highly amusing.

"That's my business," Neal shot back.

"Just as well I suppose," Gold said. "It was nice meeting you son and a pleasure meeting you Miss Swan."

Gold left the diner and after a minute Neal handed Emma one of the keys.

"I'll go get our bags," said Neal.

"Need any help?"

"It's okay I got it. You shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting anyways."

At that comment Mary Margaret glanced at Emma, noticing the small but visible bump on the girl's abdomen.

"You'll be safe with Mary Margaret," Neal said to Emma.

"I wasn't safe before? Babe, don't you think you're over reacting a little?"

Neal ignored the question. "I'll meet you in our room."