Emma slammed the door shut on the little teacup car as she got into the driver's seat. She gripped the steering wheel tight and let out a long line of curse words. She clenched her jaw then let out a sigh before starting the car and driving to the town hall.
"Miss, you can't just go in there!" A woman said to Emma as she pushed open the door to the Mayor's office.
The woman followed Emma inside, "I'm sorry Madam Mayor, she wouldn't stop."
Cora waved her hand silencing the woman, "It's okay Shirley. Please leave us and shut the door."
The woman did as she was told and shut the door behind her.
Cora turned her attention to Emma who was standing in front of her desk.
"And to what do I owe this unexpected and totally unwanted visit?" Cora asked Emma as she sat comfortably behind her desk.
"Not letting me buy your house isn't going to keep me from staying in Storybrooke." Emma told her.
"Perhaps my daughter should tell you she loves you again then." Cora said to her.
"Okay I deserved that."
Cora stood up, "You deserve a lot more than just that."
She rounded her desk and stood in front of her, "Trust me when I tell you that I understand all about how hard it is living in a small town but you broke my daughter's heart when you left."
"Regina is a tough woman but she cried for days after you left. My husband loved you like you were his own and you didn't even bother to say goodbye to him."
Cora scoffed, "And you think buying a house and applying for a job at some private school is going to prove anything to my daughter?"
"You're selfish, inconsiderate and I don't think you're even capable of love." Cora said to her.
"You'll get tired of this town just as quickly as you did before and you'll leave." Cora said, "And when you do, I promise you this time no one will cry, no one will miss you and no one will care if you say goodbye or not."
Emma kept the tone of her voice soft, "I'm sorry that I didn't say goodbye to Henry. But I'm even sorrier that he passed away because I know just how much he loved you and Regina."
"That being said, I know I hurt Regina but that's between us." Emma told her, "She's a grown woman and she doesn't need her mommy fighting her battles."
"So if you want to be petty and keep me from buying the house I want then that's fine. I'll find something else." Emma said then took a step towards Cora, "But know this Madam Mayor, you can do whatever you like to run me out of town but I have no plans on leaving any time soon."
Emma left before security was called. She felt a rush of satisfaction as she got into the teacup and started back to the Inn.
She slammed on the brakes when she saw a flatbed tow truck cutting through the town square hauling a very familiar yellow Volkswagen.
Emma followed the tow truck to Mulan's shop and got out of the little car and went into the garage where Mulan was working under the hood of an old Chevy pick-up.
"Is that my Bug?" Emma asked.
Mulan leaned over and looked outside. She looked back at Emma, "Looks like it." She said then went back to working on the truck.
"How? Why?" Emma asked her, a little confused.
"I called around and found out where it was." Mulan told her, "And because I consider you a friend."
Emma did something totally unexpected to the both of them. She threw her arms around Mulan and hugged her.
"Whoa whoa easy there." Mulan said as she unwrapped herself from Emma's arms, "My lady doesn't mind flirting but when things get physical, well that's where I have to draw the line."
"I'm sorry I'm just so happy." Emma said smiling as she watched the tow truck driver lower the Bug from the bed of his truck.
Emma's head whipped around, "Wait, did you say 'My lady'?"
"Someone's dating you?" Emma asked, her eyebrows up.
"Hey asshole, don't sound so surprised." Mulan said as she shut the hood of the pick-up truck.
"I'm sorry." Emma said with a chuckle, "It's just you're one of the most flirtatious people I know. I just never saw you as a one woman kind of person."
"When I'm committed, I'm committed." Mulan told her as they walked over to the tow truck.
Mulan thanked the driver and they watched as he drove off before they pushed the Bug into the shop.
"So who is it?" Emma asked her.
"Who's taken pity on me you mean?" Mulan asked then playfully shoved Emma.
"Yeah."
"Aurora, she's new here so you probably don't know her." Mulan told her as she went to her tool bench.
"I know her!" Emma said, "She's my real estate agent."
Mulan chuckled, "Well I'm glad you're taking my advice about doing something a little more long-lasting here in Storybrooke."
"Yeah I found the perfect house but Cora owns it and she's refusing to sell it to me." Emma told her.
"Find another house then." Mulan told her, "Any house you choose will be the perfect house if it's the one you're going to share with Regina."
"Well, look at you being all wise." Emma said to her with a smile.
"Yes, well love makes you wise and stupid at the same time." Mulan told her, "You're just lucky to catch me on a wise day."
Mulan looked at her, "And hey, what did I tell you about taking care of this Bug?"
"I did take care of it." Emma said, "It just wasn't too happy I decided to drive it cross country again."
"Well knock that shit off." Mulan told her, "Okay go away now I have work to do."
She waved Emma away without a second glance and Emma chuckled as she left.
Instead of going right back to the inn she headed over to the diner and Mary Margaret there. She told her she'd gotten the job at the private school and thanked her with a hug.
"I'm happy for you and I know you'll do great there." Mary Margaret told her before she and David left with their food.
As Emma sat in a booth waiting for her dinner she called Aurora and told her she'd like to look at more homes that were available and they made an appointment to meet up tomorrow morning before Emma had to go to work.
In the morning Emma and Aurora had looked at 2 more houses that were up for sale in Storybrooke.
"This is the only other home for sale." Aurora said as they drove together to the last house.
They pulled up out front and Emma smiled. It was a white two story house with light blue shutters on the windows. The front porch wrapped around half the front of the house. A white swing sat in front of one of the large windows.
Two flower beds flanked both sides of the porch steps and brought color to the front yard. A huge shade tree kept the sun from beating down on half of the house. There were two small trees to the right of the house but Emma wasn't sure what kind they were.
They got out of the car and made their way up the walk. Aurora let them into the house then gave her the tour.
There was a master bedroom with its own bath and a second bedroom was near the bathroom down the hall. Downstairs was a small office, dining room and kitchen.
Emma's favorite room was the living room. It was already furnished like most of the house but she could see Regina and herself cuddled up on the couch together watching a stupid movie in front of the stone fireplace.
"Cora doesn't own this house too does she?" Emma asked as she walked around the living room.
"No, a couple owned it but they moved to Chicago so they are looking to sell it quick." Aurora told her.
"I'll take it." Emma told her.
Aurora gave Emma the paperwork she needed to take to Archie and then they went back to Briar Rose so Emma could pick up her car.
Emma spent the rest of her afternoon scooping ice cream.
"Emma, I'm sorry but I need you to do a delivery for a child's birthday party." Lea said to Emma as she came in from the backroom carrying an ice box with 5 gallons of ice cream in it.
"Not a problem." Emma told her as she took the box from her.
"The address is right there on the box." Lea told her, "And please hurry."
Emma was out the door and in her little teacup car in no time. She made it to the party before the ice cream ever had a chance to melt.
The mother of the birthday girl led Emma to the kitchen and asked if she'd put the ice cream in the freeze.
"Do you have to wear that stupid hat on deliveries too?"
Emma turned from the freezer and smiled when she saw Regina, "I happen to like this hat very much."
"You would." Regina said as she placed a rather large pink box down on the counter.
Emma closed the freezer and stood across from her, "Will you go out to dinner with me?"
Regina didn't even bother suppressing her laugh, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"No." Emma said to her.
"You broke my heart Emma, what makes you think I want to go out to dinner with you?"
"I can't make it up to you, can't apologize and make you realize how sorry I am if you won't let me." Emma told her.
"Maybe I don't want you to. Maybe I just don't care anymore." Regina told her then turned to leave.
Emma caught her by the wrist, "I don't believe that and I don't think you do either."
Regina pulled out of Emma's grip and left without saying another word.
The next few days Emma's time was filled with work and helping Lea plan for the street fair. But despite that she still made time to go to the bakery at lunch time and have a slice of pie.
Regina wouldn't talk to her much even though Emma tried engaging her in conversation.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Regina asked, exhausted from all of Emma's questions.
Emma looked around the shop. There were only 3 other people sitting in the bakery and no one was coming in the door.
"Are you going to the street fair this weekend?" Emma asked ignoring her question.
Regina sighed, "Yes."
She turned to take a tub of dirty dishes into the kitchen, "And before you even ask, no I don't want to go with you."
"Maybe I'll see you there." Emma called after her but the door swung shut and she wasn't sure Regina heard her.
Emma just finished her shift at Your Sundae Best when Aurora came into the shop.
"Hey." Emma said to her as she took off her hat and removed her apron.
"So, I have some good news for you." Aurora said hardly able to contain her smile.
"Oh?" Emma said grinning back at her, "Does this have something to do with the house?"
"It sure does." Aurora said and she held up a set of keys.
Emma couldn't contain herself. She did a little jig in the middle of the shop then hugged Aurora, lifting her up and twirling her around.
"You're crushing me." Aurora squeaked out.
Emma put her down and let her go, "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy."
"Yes I can see that." Aurora said smiling as she handed her the keys.
Emma kissed Aurora quickly on the cheek before practically running for the door. She paused only briefly, "Don't tell Mulan I kissed you."
She got into the Teacup and drove straight to her new home. She went inside and into the living room where she flicked on a light on and plopped down on her couch.
'Her couch. Her house.' She thought and smiled.
Emma spent the next day with Lea and a few of the nuns making final preparations for the street fair. She never realized just how much nuns bickered.
She leaned to her left and whispered in Lea's ear, "I need a break."
"Good idea." Lea said as she stood up, "Ladies, let's all take a break and meet back here in an hour."
Lea and Emma stayed behind and let the nuns clear out first.
"Man." Emma said massaging her temples with the tips of her fingers, "How do you guys get any work done?"
"It truly is a test from God." Lea said with a chuckle.
Emma took her hour break and headed straight over to Enchanted Delights. She went up to the counter and smiled at Regina.
"So I have an offer." Emma said to her.
"I'm not interested."
"You haven't even heard what it is yet." Emma said and Regina just rolled her eyes and moved further down the counter.
"Let me make dinner for you." Emma said to her.
"Oh yeah and how are you going to do that?" Regina asked, "Is Granny going to let you use the kitchen at the Inn? Are we going to eat while sitting on your bed in your room?"
"No, I'll be cooking in my kitchen and we'll be eating at my dining room table." Emma told her then smiled, "But if you'd like we can eat breakfast in bed the next morning."
"Your kitchen?" Regina asked her.
"My kitchen in my house." Emma told her.
"You bought a house?" Regina asked, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Yes I managed to buy a house here." Emma told her, "Despite your mother's best efforts to house-block me."
"My mother?"
"Oh I guess Madam Mayor forgot to mention the fact that I tried buying the house she had for sale on Maple Street." Emma said then waved her hand in the air as if to magically erase what she'd said, "That's not important. What is important is that I have a home here now and I would like it very much if you'd come over and let me make you dinner."
Regina was quiet for about 3 seconds and Emma thought she was actually considering it.
"No." She finally said.
"I'm not giving up." Emma told her. It wasn't a threat or warning but a promise she planned on keeping.
Emma never could have imagined how bossy nuns could be. She'd volunteered to help set up booths for the street fair and one nun was riding her ass like a cowboy on a bull at a rodeo.
She was currently hiding by the hardware shop out of sight from the tyrannical nun. She took a sip of water from her bottle and slid down the wall to sit on the ground. She closed her eyes and let the mid-morning sun beat down on her face.
"Did the nuns work you to death already?"
Emma opened her eyes, shielding them from the sun with a hand she looked up to see Mulan casually leaning against the building and looking down at her.
"Yes. I'm dead right now and apparently heaven is me hiding from nuns." Emma told her.
"It could be hell." Mulan said as she gave Emma a hand up.
Emma laughed and dusted herself off, "Yeah."
"So are you here to help or give me a hard time?" Emma asked her.
"I'm here to tell you that your Bug is fixed and I'd like my loaner car back." Mulan told her.
"But I just got used to driving around the little teacup." Emma told her with a fake pout, "I even named it Chip."
"Well if you don't want your Bug back that's up to you." Mulan said as she started to walk off.
She grabbed Mulan's arm, "No, no I want my car back."
"Okay, come by the shop tomorrow morning to pick it up." Mulan told her then turned and looked at her, "And try containing your excitement so you don't, you know kiss me or anything."
Emma's eyes widened and Mulan just gave her a wink and headed on her way.
The bossy nun spotted Emma and waved her over. She mumbled a curse word then went back to work.
The set up crew took a break for lunch that was catered by a sandwich and coffee shop called The Beanstalk that was run by a very large but nice man named Anton.
Emma grabbed a sandwich and took a big bite of it. She spotted Regina handing out cups of something to drink for the volunteers.
She wiped her mouth and went over to her, "You know I'll be working at the fair tonight."
"I'm happy for you." Regina said not looking at her as she poured a drink for one of the nuns.
"It's a pretty sweet gig. It involves lots of pie." Emma continued.
"Well don't choke on it." Regina said giving her a cup of punch.
Emma smiled and downed her drink before tossing the cup into the trash and getting back to work.
Lea thanked everyone for their hard work and promised that the reward would be worth it as they are using the money to help kids in need.
Emma asked Lea if there was anything more she needed to do before tonight and Lea smiled at her and told her to go home, get some rest so she'll be ready to be pelted with pies.
When Emma got home she went upstairs took a shower then went downstairs to watch TV and brainstorm.
She had to figure out a way to get Regina to talk to her, to get her to forgive her. She pulled the black and white pictures from her jean pockets and smiled. They looked so happy and unaware of what the next few months would bring.
She wanted to bring that smile back to Regina's face. She wanted to do what she could to repair the damage she'd done so they could move forward together. She wanted to be the reason Regina was happy.
Emma fell asleep thinking about this while she held the pictures of hope in her hand.