AN: I don't own the characters or OUAT.
All mistakes are mine.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Ruby asked as Rebecca took a seat next to Emma.
"Sure. Um, can I get whatever the daily soup is and a Cobb salad?" Rebecca responded to the young waitress.
"Certainly. Someone will bring it out when it's done."
"Thank you. So, Emma," Rebecca directed to the ward, "How's the grilled cheese that you haven't touched? What about the milkshake?"
"I didn't even realize those were there," she said before she took a bite of her cooling sandwich. After she swallowed the delicious morsel of food, she asked her social worker, "Did you find Mary Margaret and David?"
"Yes and no. I found Mary Margaret. She said they're going to meet us here in about half an hour to give us time to eat and relax. Thank you... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," Rebecca said to Ruby as she placed the salad on the counter.
"Ruby," Emma said, earning a confused look form the two people. "I listen to the things that go on around me. I've been told that I'm very observant. Too observant, at times," she continued with a shy smile.
"Well, there's your answer..." Ruby trailed off.
"Rebecca. And thank you, Emma, for Ruby's name," she said laughing with the waitress.
"Now, I know her name as well. It's nice to meet you, Rebecca and Emma," Ruby said, shaking their hands in turn. "How long are you guys planning on staying here in Storybrooke?"
"As long until I'm not wanted anymore," Emma stated carelessly, which earned her a glare from Rebecca and a raised eyebrow from Ruby. "It's the truth, though. If Mary Margaret and David don't want me anymore, I go back to Boston and into the group home."
"Oh, so you're a foster kid."
"Yeah. But it's not like I shout it from the rooftops."
"Wait, Mr. and Mrs. Nolan are taking you in? She told me that they couldn't have kids, so they were always gonna plan to adopt. I think it's cooler that they're gonna foster instead."
'They wanted to adopt? Maybe they'll want to keep me. I guess I'll have to be on my best behavior. At least I've started making friends. Ruby can be considered a friend, right?'
"Mr. Nolan is the sheriff of the town. Ms. Blan- Mrs. Nolan is a teacher at the high school. They recently got married, so everyone is still adjusting to the name change," Ruby continued, not noticing that Emma was lost in her thoughts. "Oh, excuse me, Leroy needs me."
"Here's your cream of mushroom soup," said a brunette waitress. She took her attention off of Emma and Rebecca as two more people made the bell ring and entered the diner. As they head to the back, the waitress said, "Hey, Zelena and Jefferson."
"Hey, Belle," Zelena said back as Jefferson just waved at her.
"Hey, babe, can you take their orders while I finish up with Leroy?" Ruby asked Belle as she headed for the register in the corner of the counter.
"Of course. But if Jefferson teases me about us, I'm letting you handle them," Belle replied.
After Belle was out of earshot, Ruby tried to mutter, "Great, I'm going to have to deal with Jefferson. I'll just mention Killian. He always shuts up after that."
Emma didn't want to eavesdrop, but Ruby didn't do a very good job of saying things quietly. "Who's Killian?"
"Oh. He's my best friend. We've known each other since we were babies. He should-"
"He wanted me to tell my GIRLFRIEND that he wanted his usual," Belle said storming over to Ruby, while she handed her the ticket order. "I already know his usual. I've made it before!"
"Babe, calm down. I'll handle him, ok? It's gonna be fine."
As Ruby calmed a fuming Belle, Emma decided to try her chocolate milkshake. "Oh my, God!"
"'Oh my, God, good'? Or 'Oh my, God, that's horrible'?" Rebecca asked.
"Oh my, God, that's fantastic! This is probably the best chocolate milkshake I've ever had!" Emma replied while she looked around the diner, to make sure she wasn't speaking too loud. She didn't want to attract any unwanted attention to herself.
'There she is again. Is she looking at me?' she thought as her eyes connected with Regina's across the diner. 'I think the girl that's there with her is named Zelena. And the guy is Jefferson. She IS staring at me. I can tell because Zelena is trying to get her attention. Class President? Mills? Her name is Regina Mills. Her first name means Queen in Latin,' she thought, chuckling to herself. 'Goodbye, beautiful brown eyes. There are two reasons for me wanting to stay,' she thought taking another sip of her drink. 'These amazing chocolate milkshakes and the gorgeous Class President Regina Mills.'
She took another glance over her shoulder towards the back booth and saw Ruby passing the food out to the ones at the table. Before she could take her eyes away, she saw Ruby pointing over to her. Confused, she just continued to drink her milkshake.
"Are you willing to give this place a chance, Ems?" questioned Rebecca.
"Yeah. Probably just for the milkshakes," Emma replied with a smirk.
'And for the 'Queen'.'
Not even two minutes later, Emma thought to herself once again, 'OH. MY. GOD! That bell is super annoying. It has got to go before I break it with my bare hands!'
"Rebecca, hello, again. This is my husband, David. And you must be Emma!" a short woman with a pixie haircut sweetly said to the new faces of the town.
'This must be Mary Margaret... she seems way too happy. I don't like it...'
"It's good to see you again, Mary Margaret. It's nice to meet you, David," Rebecca said, just as sweetly.
'This is making me physically sick. Why is Rebecca acting this way? She never acts like this. She's never sweet. Not even to me, which is why we got along so well when I first met her.'
Just as Mary Margaret and David turned to talk to her, Emma said, "Excuse me. Ruby, where's the bathroom?"
'I have to get away. Now!'
"Just through the double doors, straight in the back," Ruby responded quickly.
"Thank you!" Emma said as she darted off.
'This feeling is worse than all the other time I've met my foster parents. Others have been sweet. Rebecca has been sweet before. I don't know why this feels so different. Is it because I want this to last? Is it because I want this family? Why do I have such high expectations? This is my sixth 'family' since January. You know, what? I'm going to go back out there and be myself. If they don't like it, they don't have to keep me. I'm my own person. They can't change me,' Emma thought, pacing. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the bathroom door open and someone walk in.
"Excuse me, but are you, Emma?"
Emma jumped but quickly calmed because she recognized the voice. She only heard her speak once, but she was good at remembering voices. She stopped pacing and slowly spun towards Regina.
"Yes. And you are?" She didn't want to seem like a stalker by knowing her name.
"I'm Regina. Um, I'm supposed to give you a tour of the school on Wednesday. Because I'm, uh... I'm the... the class president... of the sophomore class.
'Why is she nervous? Do I make her nervous?'
"I just thought I'd introduce myself before Wednesday so that we're not complete strangers then," Regina continued with a chuckle.
"That's pretty smart. But, I'm guessing, that's why you're class president," Emma shyly flirted.
'Why the hell am I flirting? Yeah, I like her, but that doesn't mean she likes me back. She's just being nice. She kinda has to because she is the mayor's daughter.'
"Kind of, heh. But that isn't the reason I became class president. It was mainly because of my mother."
'Did she just humbly call herself smart? That's adorable,' she thought with a smile that started to grow.
"Oh. You only became class president because your mom is mayor? Not because you earned it?" Emma asked, losing her smile.
"Sort of. How did you know my mother is mayor?"
"Ruby said it when... you two... walked... in..."
'Damn it! Can't you just stop embarrassing yourself in front of this cute girl?' Emma chastised herself.
"Oh, that's right."
"I'm sorry. I have to go back to Rebecca, Mary Margaret, and David. I'll see you Wednesday, Regina."
"Ok. Bye, Emma."