~Thirteen Years Ago~

Sports were her favorite activity at prior school, now she's attending Storybrooke's high school and sports just lost their colour. She has no pleasure at anything when waking and heading to a school where the only thing she's sure about is getting poked in the nerve by Miss Sunshine Popularity. Regina Mills. She still has no friends, she still doesn't feel at home, she still hasn't overpassed all changes and having to live with her father and dork sister.

Gym class has been over for at least two hours now, still Emma remains behind, just to make sure her old interest wouldn't come back. It's to no end. But at least she finds the pleasurable memories to fill her mind.

She's showered and dressed to leave after an intense section of nothing. Just sitting and keeping her eyes at the diverse kinds of balls and sports she could or should do. Emma closes the locker and pulls her backpack from the dressing room's bench.

The giggles, the kissing, the moans are loud enough to reach her. She doesn't stop, just keeps going because it's none of her business. So she simply leaves the couple to their activity. She's sure Regina must be at the door waiting for her, probably with some sticky drink to make her change tops. She wouldn't be her worse nightmare if she wasn't. So there she is, with cup in hand and...petrified eyes?

Emma rolls her eyes and is about to ask for the other to rush things when she just hears between the moans, "Oh My God, Graham."

~Present Time~

Storybrooke isn't the smallest of places, but still is small enough for an unbecoming journalist to harass Emma's rushed walk with questions about her father and their relationship. She's about to take his camera and smash it against the hard ground when he finds at their Mayor is a better target and crosses the street like a happy puppy who welcomes their human. She frowns and stops pacing, but as soon as she makes eye contact with the owner of most her thoughts she huffs and leaves them behind.

As her sister's note read she'd save them a table outside of Granny's Diner, and be waiting with both their orders. Two delicious cups of hot chocolate with cinnamon.

"Hey," She greets before sitting and checking the cup she's offered. "What's up?"

"Just the usual," Mary Margaret replies vaguely, "Classes, kids, engagement, making sure my sister comes to the wedding, selling our father's house-"

"Hold it!" Emma interrupts the ramble because, well, she's still in town? Yes. Will she wait for God knows how long for the wedding? Well, no. She needs to move past this, and knowing how hard it was the first time around, she senses this time won't be any easier. "I never said I'd stay for any wedding, and you told me it'll take months until you marry twin number two. So as much as I'd love to stay, I really can't."

"And that's why I called David and we decided to move the date so you could come and help with some of the preparation." She announces happily. "It'll be next month." Emma's mazy, deeply mazy. Her hand stops with the cup up to her mouth. She just wants to leave. "And I know you're probably thinking we shouldn't do it only to have you there, but you are important to me and we've been together for so long it just doesn't make sense waiting three long months."

A month in Storybrook? She doubts she can make it for a week, let a lone a month. This is the worse idea imaginable and yet she doesn't know how to turn it down, because well, Mary is her sister and she has been away for a little more than a decade and Mary seems to really want to share this one moment with Emma, and as much as it sounds the worse idea it's also the kind of thing Emma hasn't had for a while. Someone that cares for her staying. And personal affairs aside, this is much heavier on her balance than jumping back into an empty apartment at some random town and finding a new job to occupy her mind.

"I'll think about it," She decides not wanting to make any promises, it's better not to give false hope - even if her sister already has hers up.

"Okay."

"So you're selling the house?" She asks before finally tasting the hot drink.

As Mary explains the house Leopold lived in is for sale, the sign is to be put at the house's porch in the next few days, and the hired real estate is already inspecting. They'll start cleaning the house for visitation soon, and Mary suggests she passes by before. Just in case she finds something worth keeping. But Emma doesn't, not this morning.

This morning she unfortunately chooses to stick around at the diner, it's already empty. Or as empty as it gets. Only a couple of tables to serve. She walks in with a smile on her face and an emptiness in her stomach. Granny doesn't have to guess to know what plate, she fixes pancakes for the blonde and serves them saying, "If you wanted pancakes you should come for breakfast, Swan." Just after she points to the clock on the wall marking 10 a.m.

Granny's always been very protective of Emma, since she first got in town. She took her in, helped her, and gave a few twitches whenever she felt needed. It's good to know she's still the caring woman she used to be.

With her pancakes nearly done Emma observes a pair of...drag queens? Not decent but yeah, she's pretty sure those are drag queens. One has the wig almost falling, the other just takes her breasts off, and the two kick off the high heels freeing their feet.

Emma tries not to stare, they must be having a bad day. That's all, she assures herself. Granny on the other hand, owls them without trying to cover her thought upon the dreadful clients. "Do I want to know?" She asks still checking them out. "You two look like the worse version of Cher."

"Granny!" Emma hisses.

"It's just for work." The breastless explains.

"Undercover!" The other rushes to complete.

Well, that explains a lot, still they are doing a terrible job with the disguises. When Miss Lopsided Wig starts frowning at Emma she turns back to her meal, and that's when she comes in.

"You said we were having a meeting about work, I had no idea you were dropping to become drag queens." Regina approaches the two of them at the counter where Emma turns hiding and begging not to be seen.

There are jokes, they laugh and Emma hears the "... Graham made me..."

Graham? Is that Graham Humbert? Who would say he'd dress as a woman for work. Whatever work he has.

"Aren't you Emma Swan?" Graham himself asks her unsure of it. She knows the only reason to remember her is because they had past issues, Regina issues. And the woman is standing right there between the two of them. "We went to high school together?" She's still processing what's going on, "We had a few conflicts?" He offers and she more than unwelcomes his attempt. "Anyway. So sorry for your loss, Mr. Blanchard was a kind man."

"Can't say I'm so sorry for it- ouch!" She complains when the tablecloth hits her head, "What the hell- ouch!" She glares at Granny and from the corner of her eye she sees the others cover their smiles, even Regina.

"Don't talk like that about your father. And watch your mouth." Granny makes her points seriously.

Emma is about to say that hell isn't swearing, it's an ordinary and inoffensive word but the wig master approaches and takes her hand without any permission. He looks at her with sympathy, "I'm Killian. Although I have no idea who you are, I am also sorry for your loss, love."

Graham pulls the pert away from her by the dress before she could address him a couple of well deserved words, he smiles at her but she doesn't reciprocate. She almost looks for Regina but suppresses it before it's too late.

She exits with a dry, "Thank you" she never really liked this guy one tiny bit.

Regina dated him back in high school, he cheated on her and now they're friendly all of a sudden. Even if thirteen years isn't out of a sudden, she's to peeved to consider. Regina should be angry at him, he betrayed her. Although she's not, she's fine, she's all smiles for him and...and for her, she doesn't even have eye contact with Emma. Frustration rushes her pulse, she cringes her teeth.

She's not one tiny bit resentful about finding this morning's journalist guarding her exit at Granny's, she's not one tiny bit sorry for grabbing his tie and smashing him against the glass window of the diner. His eyes staring at her, carefully he swallows his own saliva harshly. And a tremulous smile comes to his lips, he seems to finally realise how much of a bad idea is this urge to have answers.

"I didn't mean to bother." He offers with a nervous frightened giggle.

"But you did," She crosses an arm against his throat pressing further against the glass. Emma's so focused on making this man understand how unwanted his questions are that she doesn't notice the small crowd of three people gathering outside.

"Emma," Granny starts careful with his words, "Let Sidney go, he's just a helpless brash, I assure you he won't pester you from now on."

Emma's not so sure, she's dealt with Sidney's kinda scumbag. They never stop coming at you, taking advantage of fragile moments. Even if losing Lepopld hasn't become a moment of weakness. She looks to the three people stepping aside. She decides to release him, but not before flexing her left leg to give him a well deserved kick, right between his legs. However, she doesn't, she stops immediately after "Careful with that knee, Miss Swan," and she looks into his startled eyes fearing he knows something he shouldn't.

"Mr. Glass I strongly suggest you say something on your defense," At the sound of Regina's voice Emma eases her hold, still not freeing him completely.

The black suited man glares from the furious blonde to the Mayor, and the Sheriff and the brightness of an idea comes to his mind, "I won't attempt further contact in the future, but if you don't let go of me I'm afraid I'll have to file charges against you, Miss Swan. I already have the local enforcement as witnesses. Also, I have a delightful lawyer, and I know my rights as a member of the town's press. I did nothing wrong."

She grins at him, he obviously knows nothing of relevant. She's relieved. She can counter him, but countering him means telling things she just isn't comfortable with going around, she already has as much publicity as she needs in town. Emma doesn't need extra doses. She lets him go, for now at least.

She gives Regina a final peak before walking away, she doesn't look back. Although Regina's eyes are glued to her back until she turns the corner.