AN: This chapter is longer than all the other ones. I couldn't find the right way to end it. It didn't help that I had a ton of ideas of where I wanted this chapter to go.
Thank you, everyone, for the kind reviews! You are so sweet.
I don't own the characters or OUAT.
All mistakes are mine.
As Emma walked out of the bathroom, she felt infinitely calmer. She didn't know that made her feel better, what gave her the courage to actually talk to her new foster parents.
"Sorry," she started with a chuckle. "Too much milkshake."
Mary Margaret's and David's reaction was exactly the same. They both laughed then said, "It's ok."
'Wow, I must say, they are quite perfect for each other. They said the same thing at the same time. That might get annoying.'
"Oh, my God! That's the first time that has happened for a few months!" David said to no one in particular.
'Never mind. I can deal with it if that's the gap between times.'
"So, Emma, what do you think about checking out your new home?"
"Sure, Mary Margaret. Let's go." As Rebecca paid for the food that was ordered, Mary Margaret and David headed for the door. Emma followed the three adults, but before she made her way outside, she looked towards the back of the diner. She watched Regina walk through the double doors. As their eyes met for the last time that day, Emma gave her a small smile.
"Bread, triple word score on D and double letter score on B for... 33 points."
"But, Ems, that's such a simple word," whined Rebecca.
"And I got 33 points for it. Suck it up, Rebecca. I'm just better than you." Chuckling Emma added, "Not my fault you played 'NOOB' for 18 points."
Rebecca huffed, "Just tell us the scores so far."
"I'm in the lead with 33 points, Mary Margaret has 24, you have 18, and David has 17. At least you're not losing," she said poking David.
"Hey! I went first. I'm lucky I had the Y for 'FUNNY,'" David countered.
"That's not an excuse. We literally started 10 minutes ago, and I almost have twice as many points as you."
"Is she always such a know-it-all?" Mary Margaret asked.
As David said, "Probably," Rebecca said, "Yes."
"Hey! You don't know me, David. At least, not yet," Emma said without a second thought.
'Wow, do I feel this comfortable with them already? So comfortable that I want them to get to know me? I haven't even known them for a full three hours yet. It's only 6:15. Wait, when is dinner?'
Emma decided to stop the useless bickering between herself, her new foster parents, and her social worker with, "When's dinner?"
"How did you go from Scrabble points to dinner in less than two seconds?" May Margaret questioned.
When Emma stared blankly at Mary Margaret, Rebecca answered, "She always has food on her mind."
"Oh, just like David. He's always hungry," Mary Margaret added with a loving smile aimed at her husband. "I guess we'll call this a game, and I'll start making something." She got off the couch to head to the kitchen.
"Yes! I WON!"
"We only played one word each, Ems."
"That doesn't matter, Rebecca. We each played a word, so it's fair."
"Fine. Whatever you say, kid."
"Exactly. I won. Fair and square."
Mary Margaret said, "Um... bad news, guys. We don't have anything to make for dinner. How does pizza sound?"
"Pizza? Do you know what pizza is?" Emma asked, while Rebecca groaned and facepalmed. "It's the second best thing ever made after grilled cheese sandwiches! I LOVE pizza!"
"You're going to want to get pizza very rarely. As you can see, she really loves pizza."
"Noted, Rebecca," David said.
"Darn. But fine. You win THIS time, Rebecca."
As Emma laid in a new bed, in a new apartment, in a new town, she couldn't help but feel giddy.
'I like Mary Margaret and David. They're fun and interesting. They told me I'm starting school on Wednesday, which is the same thing that Regina said. What am I supposed to do all day tomorrow? Rebecca is leaving in the morning. I doubt that Mary Margaret and David trust me to be alone in the apartment. I also doubt that they'll let me roam around town by myself. Hopefully, Wednesday goes well. I really don't want to get into anything that might force Mary Margaret and David to kick me out. I really like them. I really like this town, so far.'
With those thoughts, Emma fell asleep.
The next morning, Emma woke up at 5:30.
'Oh, come on! It's the only day I might have been able to sleep in, and now I can't because my body wants to betray me.'
She got out of bed anyway and headed towards the stairs. As she got to the top she heard music, singing, and laughter.
"This is the complete opposite of what I'm used to from the other homes. This feels completely natural, though.'
David was the first to see her when she got to the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, Emma. We didn't wake you, did we?"
"No, my body just decided to wake up now," she replied with a chuckle.
"I'm making pancakes if you want some. There are eggs too."
Emma nodded, then sat next to Rebecca at the counter, who was nodding off. "Did she tell you when she was leaving?"
Mary Margaret took the eggs out of the fridge and handed them to David. "She said she was leaving for Boston at 8. David was thinking that you could go to his work for the day. I don't know if anyone told you, but he's sheriff."
"Yeah, I thought that it'd be a good way of letting you explore Storybrooke."
"While still keeping an eye on me?" Emma asked with a teasing smirk.
"Slightly," David said back with a laugh. "I kinda don't want you to get lost. And it'll be safer with the sheriff."
"I don't have to ride in the back, right?"
"Only if you break the law, Em."
"I'll make sure to do that," she said jokingly. "When do you have to get to the high school, Mary Margaret?" The two adults that were awake stared at her as if she was psychic. "Ruby told me yesterday at the diner when she overheard that you guys are my new foster parents," Emma clarified.
"Oh. That makes sense. So, you already knew that David was sheriff?" Emma nodded in response. "I have to leave at 6:30 to get there before 7. David usually leaves for work at 7."
As Emma nodded again, a question popped into her head. "What time would I have to be at school tomorrow?"
"Oh. The first class starts at 7:45. David could drop you off tomorrow, right, honey?"
"Of course. But if I do a good job with the tour, Emma could probably walk there herself, like you do."
"What time would I leave?"
"It takes about," David started, looking at his wife for the answer, "ten to fifteen minutes? Right?"
"Just about. I'm going to go take my shower now. See you soon."
Emma and David were silent while they ate their food. They tried to wake Rebecca by sticking her plate by her face. She woke up for all of fifteen minutes to eat her food, very slowly. As soon as Mary Margaret walked back into the kitchen, Rebecca's head had hit her arms as she fell back asleep.
"You should take her when you leave for work," Mary Margaret said as she finished getting all her work supplies together.
At 6:50, Emma was finally able to get Rebecca to stay awake. By the time 7 rolled around, David was trying to get everyone out of the apartment.
"I usually drive my truck to the station and back home, so that the deputies have the patrol car during my off hours," David informed Emma. "Hey, Rebecca, do you think you could stay awake for the drive over to the station?" he teased her.
"Yes, David. Now, you have to get to work, so drive."
"Yes, ma'am." David started his truck and pulled out of the spot. He made a left at the corner. "Hey, Em, coming up is the high school on the right. It's not that far from the apartment."
'Can I see her? Is that...? It is! Regina is right there! And now... she's gone. And now... we're gone. Drove right by, and I didn't even get to see her face. It's ok. I'll maybe see her later. And if not, I'll definitely see her tomorrow. For my tour.'
"And we're here! Traffic was lighter than usual. took me seven instead of the usual ten minutes." David commented as he got out of the truck and led the way into the station.
"David! There you are~ I've been waiting for you," a woman said. Emma believed she was Regina's mother if her gift for voices was right.
"Mayor Mills, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Is there something you need me to do?" David asked, confirming Emma's talent.
"Yes, I need those reports filed. I need them finished by the end of your workday."
"Of course, Madam Mayor. It completely slipped my mind. It won't happen again, and I'll have them done."
"Thank you, David. You know where to find me." As Mayor Mills walked by Emma and Rebecca, she stopped at the teen. "Who might you be?"
'Why do I feel so nervous? She's the mayor, duh!'
"I'm Emma Swan. I'm David's and Mary Margaret's foster child. I got here yesterday."
"Why are you not at school, Miss Swan?" The way the mayor said her name sent chills down Emma's back. She felt uncomfortable, and not in the way she was used to with her previous foster parents.
"I was told that I was going to start tomorrow." As Emma was talking, she felt that she had to speak properly. She felt like the mayor would have David arrest her for not doing so.
'I don't feel this way around Regina. Regina seemed so much more relaxed, yet uptight at the same time. It was like an uptight sort of relaxed.'
"Is that so?" Mayor Mills looked at David for confirmation, which he gave. "So be it. Which grade will you be entering, dear?" She focused her attention back on Emma.
"Sophomore year, ma'am."
The mayor gave a slight smile at the use of the professional title. "So, my daughter is going to give you a tour around the school. It's about time that school puts my daughter's potential to use. Goodbye, now, Miss Swan."
"Goodbye, Mayor Mills."
After the door to the outside closed, Rebecca said, "What am I, invisible?"
After David and Emma calmed down from their laughing fit, which Rebecca eventually joined, David congratulated Emma, "I'm proud of you. Usually, no one can get the "emotionless Cora Mills" to smile at their first meeting."
"Thanks, David."
After a long day of touring the town in the patrol car with David, Emma was finally able to relax on the couch and let all the information she learned sink in.
'The important things. From the apartment: the school is down the street and hang a left, and Regina's house is two streets down, take a right, and then another street. It's the biggest house on the block, shouldn't be able to miss it. Now, the park is a left after I pass the school and down one street. Granny's Diner is halfway between Regina's house and here. This is all quite simple, actually.'
"Hey, Emma. Do you like to go running?" David asked.
"Yeah. But right now, not really in the mood for it."
With a laugh, he answered, "That's fine. I was thinking, in the morning, we could go running around 5:15, be back by 6, maybe. Mary Margaret will have breakfast ready by the time we get back."
"Sounds perfect. I'm gonna head to bed, then. Goodnight, David." As she passed the kitchen to get to the stairs, she said goodnight to Mary Margaret as well.
'Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I can tell.'
Emma had her alarm set to go off at 5. She got out of bed and got dressed. As she went down the stairs, she was able to see David getting two water bottles filled with water ready.
"Hey, David. Are you ready?"
"Just a second, Em. I was thinking we could run to the park, then to the station, then back here. It'll be about an hour. You know, including stretching."
"Whatever is easiest for you. If that's what you normally do, it's fine with me."
"Awesome! You're gonna lead the way, though. It's gonna be like a quiz."
"Ok. Wait, I'm not 100% sure about the station, though."
"That's fine. If you make a mistake, we'll fix it."
"Cool. Are you ready yet?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
At 6:10, David and Emma came in from their run all sweaty. They looked around the apartment trying to find Mary Margaret.
"I guess she went to take her shower. She made eggs, bacon, and toast. She's such a sweetie," David said about his wife.
"Sweet, food!" Emma exclaimed as she piled her plate with food then sat at the counter.
By the time Mary Margaret finished her shower and entered the kitchen, Emma was finishing her second plate of food.
"Good morning. Are you ready for school?" Mary Margaret asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Wanna take your shower first, David?"
David nodded, already heading off to the bathroom.
"How was your run? I don't like to run, so David is usually alone on those," Mary Margaret chuckled.
"It was good. He made me lead the way. He said it was like a quiz."
"Good. You didn't get lost, right?"
"Nope. I knew where everything was. I'm getting the hang of the town already."
"It's like you were meant to be here," Mary Margaret said as she got her work supplies ready.
'Did she mean that? She must have because she said it without a second thought. And I have to agree with her. I have been feeling a sense of home since I got here. Probably because everyone I met is so welcoming.'
David entered the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Shower is all yours, Em."
"Ok. Well, you'll probably be gone by the time I get out, so I'll see you late at school Mary Margaret."
"I'll meet you at the stairs so that I could bring you to Mr. Gold's office."
"Sounds good."
"Enter!"
The door opened and Regina entered the office.
"Regina Mills, glad you could join us. This is Emma Swan. She has just joined us from Tallahassee, Florida, and she needs to be shown around."
'This dude needs to stop talking. I just wanna talk to Regina.'
"Even though she is a year older than the rest of the sophomore class, she is going to be a part of your grade. Hopefully, as class president, you are up to the job of escorting her today."
'Really, Mr. Gold? Are you really doubting her right now?'
"You won't have to worry about being late to class because she has the same schedule as you. Can you handle this, Miss Mills?" Mr. Gold ended his mini-speech.
"Of course, Mr. Gold."
'Finally, she's looking at me.'
"It's wonderful to meet you, Em-ma." It sounded like Regina purred her name.
'Oh. My. God. I love the way she says my name. Focus! I need to respond to her.'
"Likewise, Regina."
'Now, say goodbye to Mary Margaret.'
"Bye, Mary Margaret. See you in class later."
"Don't forget, you have to call me Ms. Blan- I mean, Mrs. Nolan when we see each other again."
"Got it. I'll remember. Bye, Mr. Gold."
'Finally, I can give Regina my undivided attention.'
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. Let's start your tour."
'Regina is so funny. Everything she says makes me laugh. I don't want this day to end.'
"Oh, look. There's Ruby," she pointed down the hallway. "Hey, Ruby!"
"Hey, Emma! Hey, Regina!" she said dragging Belle down the hall.
'Who is that guy with them? It looks, even from this far that he has too much eyeliner on. Way too much.'
"Emma, you remember Belle, right?"
"Of course. How are you, Belle?"
"I'm good, thanks, Emma. Have you met Killian, yet?"
"No, we haven't. But that's because Miss Bitch, here, hates me," Killian said.
'What the hell is going on with eyeliner guy? Hey, "Guyliner." That's a good nickname for him. But what's with his attitude toward Regina? That's not cool.'
"I don't hate you, Killian. I just can't stand you."
Ruby calmed everyone down when she said, "Ok, guys. Stop showing your bad sides to the newbie. Emma looks confused."
With a chuckle, Emma replied, "I always look confused, though. It's nothing new."
"Well, to clear the confusion, at least for a while, Regina and Killian don't like each other because -"
"Belle!" Regina cut her off. "It doesn't matter. It's the past and nothing can change it."
'What has Regina so worked up? Something Killian did must have made this happen. I need to make sure she's ok.'
"Are you -" she started, but Regina ran off. "Regina!"
"I got her," Ruby said as she started going after the class president. She focused on Belle and said, "Don't say anything."
"Tell her I'm sorry," Belle said just as Ruby went through the bathroom door. "Killian, you have to do something."
"What could I possibly do? He's dead. I can't bring him back."
"Wait, what's going on?"
"Nothing. It's between Regina and Killian," Belle tried to assure Emma. It didn't work. "You could stop being an ass to her. She just lost her dad. She's not a bitch."
'What the hell did Killian do? Regina doesn't have a dad anymore? That sucks. I know how it feels to not have a parent. Clearly, no one wanted me to know this. I'll pretend I didn't know. I hope Ruby can calm her down. Not to be rude, but she promised we'd get lunch, and I'm starving. Rebecca was right. I do always have food on my mind.'
Emma heard the door open and Ruby's laugh filled the hallway.
'I guess she's doing a little better if she made Ruby laugh.'
"Emma, are you hungry? Let's go to lunch."
"Sounds perfect, Regina. Lead the way."