A/N: I am so excited for tonight's episode! Here is a chapter to tide you over until it comes on! Hope you enjoy it!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 6: Restless

David called Mary Margaret as he walked out from the room where he dropped Ella off at to where Emma was waiting for him in the truck. He told Mary Margaret about finding Ella and her trying to run away. He also told her how he walked her to detention.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with her. I don't know what has gotten into her today." Mary Margaret said with a sigh.

"It was no problem. I just wasn't going to let her run off like Emma did." David said, thinking of what Emma had done the day before.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Mary Margaret said gratefully.

"Has she ever run off like that before?" David asked.

"Unfortunately yes, normally when she gets mad at me."

"Emma has a few times, but she was used to foster parents that didn't care where she was." David said.

"Yeah, that's understandable. Ella doesn't really have an excuse besides she is mad and stubborn. Well thank you for letting me know. I'll go get her from detention so that she doesn't have a chance to run again. Thanks for everything, and David, sorry she was rude to you."

"It was really no problem. I was glad to be able to help." David answered with a smile.

David went home with Emma and decided it be best to get her in bed, however, Emma didn't like that idea at all.

"Can't I just lay on the couch?" Emma asked with puppy dog eyes.

"I would prefer it if you were in bed resting. Being at school took a toll on your body, Em. You need rest." David said, worried for his daughter who was obviously sick with a cold.

"Just for a little while, Dad." Emma asked continuing her puppy dog look with using the word Dad.

David shook his head. Those eyes with her calling him Dad was just too much for him to ignore. "Oh alright, but after dinner you are going to bed. Got it?"

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" Emma said in excitement as she rushed over to him and hugged him, surprising both of them.

David smiled and hugged her back. "You're welcome, sweetie."

*****OUAT*****

Saturday 5pm

Ella was nervous about going to David and Emma's house. She was so embarrassed for how she acted around David and that he knew she had gotten detentions and gotten in trouble with her mom was even more embarrassing to her. Plus she wasn't thrilled that he told her mom everything and got her in more trouble. Worst of all, she still believed that David was her Dad too or at least she hoped he was her Dad and that's not how she wanted to spend time with him. Plus she figured he thought she was terrible now. Her mom was even making her apologize to him as well. She wished she was anywhere, but where she was as they walked up to the Nolan residence.

"Please don't make me apologize, mom." Ella pleaded one last time.

"Ella, you were very rude to Mr. Nolan and I will not tolerate that behavior. So you will apologize to him." Mary Margaret told her firmly before knocking on the door.

Ella frowned in disappointment and dread for what she had to do.

The door opened to reveal David with a smile on his face. "Hi Mary Margaret, Hi Ella. Come on in. I hope you are both hungry because Emma and I have been slaving away in the kitchen!" David told them as he ushered them into the house.

"Hi David. Yes, we are starving, but first Ella has something she'd like to say to you." Mary Margaret said as she gently nudged Ella forward.

Ella looked down at her feet in embarrassment as David looked at her with a curious look. It dawned on him shortly after that she was meant to apologize.

"I'm sorry I was rude to you on Friday." Ella mumbled as she looked up briefly at David before returning her gaze to the ground.

David smiled softly before stepping up and lifting Ella's chin so that she would look at him. "Thank you for apologizing and you are forgiven." David told her kindly. "Now why don't you go say hi to Emma?"

Ella smiled in excitement at both him forgiving her and for getting it over with so she could enjoy her night with Emma.

"She's in the kitchen setting the table, you can help her." David added with a smile.

"Ok!" Ella responded excitedly and ran to the kitchen.

"Ella, walk!" Mary Margaret said firmly.

"It's alright." David said with a chuckle. "I'm guessing she is as eager to see Emma as Emma is to see her."

"I'm sure. She gets a little restless when she's grounded with nothing to do, but chores and homework." Mary Margaret said with a tired sigh.

"I know what you mean. It's like they are caged animals when they are grounded." David said with a chuckle as he came a little closer to Mary Margaret. "But enough talk of our girls, how are you doing this weekend?"

"Good now that I am here." Mary Margaret said as she blushed a little.

"You look beautiful today." David said with a charming smile.

"Why thank you. You don't look to bad yourself." Mary Margaret replied with a shy smile.

David took her hand with a smile. "We better go check on the girls before Emma decides to take over the cooking and burns the place down…"

Mary Margaret chuckled, but was really thinking of the hand she was now holding. They had been talking more the last few weeks and had hung out quite a bit with their girls with them. She was falling hard for David, especially after he had helped with Ella on Friday. She could tell that he was a good foster father to Emma and would be a good father to Ella if their relationship went the way she hoped it would.

Emma nudged Ella as their parents came in the kitchen holding hands. Ella rolled her eyes. "Could they be anymore cheesy?" Ella whispered.

"I know, right?" Emma said with a chuckle.

"Emma, are you feeling any better today?" Mary Margaret asked in concern as she came over to the girls.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." Emma said and David chuckled.

"She isn't fine. She still has a bit of a cold and her wrist is still bothering her, but she is doing better today." David explained to Mary Margaret as Emma rolled her eyes.

Ella couldn't help for the little green monster to show up as she listened to her mom and David talking about Emma. She just felt like Emma was growing closer to both David and her mom so quickly unlike her. She just wanted to grow closer to her real dad, at least she hoped he was really her dad. If he wasn't and the curse broke, she would be sent away and then this whole thing would have been for nothing.

"Um David, can we watch TV in the living room?" Emma asked, hoping that he would forget about her grounding and let them watch TV.

"Emma, you know that you are grounded so you can't watch TV." David responded with a smirk, at what she was trying.

"And so is Ella, so she can't watch TV either." Mary Margaret added.

Emma and Ella both frowned.

"What are we supposed to do then?" Emma asked with a frown.

"Talk? Play a game? Draw a picture? There are lots of things you can do." David said with an amused look.

"Draw a picture? We aren't five." Emma said with a giggle before turning to Ella and taking her hand. "Come on, lets go find something to do."

David rolled his eyes and chuckled. "She doesn't have TV and she doesn't know what to do. Maybe I need to limit her TV time a little more when she's off restriction."

"I know, its hard for this generation to keep themselves busy if they don't have a TV in front of them. I think it does them good to have a little break from the TV." Mary Margaret responded seriously.

"I agree. Well, I better check on dinner, you want to help me?" David asked with a charming smile.

"I would love to." Mary Margaret said as she followed him.

*****OUAT*****

Meanwhile in Emma's room

"Are you sick of being grounded yet?" Emma asked as she plopped down on her bed dramatically.

"Yes. There is nothing to do, but if I complain mom just gives me chores or homework to do." Ella responded as she laid down beside Emma.

"Oh that sucks. I hope she doesn't give David that idea." Emma said with a horrified look.

"This morning I complained about being bored and she walked away and came back with a list of things for me to do. I thought she was kidding, but boy was I wrong." Ella complained and Emma started to laugh.

"It's not funny! That list took all day, I just finished before we came here! Not to mention the homework she made me do last night and this morning." Ella continued to complain. "Oh it is nice to complain without getting more chores!" Ella added with a tired sigh.

"That is hilarious." Emma said with another giggle.

"I'm glad it brought you some enjoyment." Ella responded with her own giggle. "Ugh I'm just sick of being cooped up inside."

"At least you got to get out of your house. I've been stuck here since we got home yesterday." Emma said then got an idea. "Hey, dinner won't be ready for another half hour. You want to get some fresh air?" Emma said with a mischievous look.

Ella bit her lip, she knew Emma wasn't up to anything good, but she didn't really care this time. She was already in trouble and although she didn't want to get in trouble with David, she did like the attention she got from him when she was getting in trouble. "Yea?" Ella said with a sheepish smile.

"Really? You would sneak out with me?" Emma asked with a surprised look at Ella, who never wanted to get in trouble.

"Yeah, I'm really sick of being inside and its only been a day. I need a little adventure to tie me over till Monday!" Ella replied.

"Ok, well in order to get away with it we better go now so we can get back in time for dinner."

"What are we doing?" Ella asked curiously.

"Well, have you ever snuck out a two story window?" Emma asked as she walked towards her window.

"Wait, what?" Ella asked a little unsure, she had a certain fear of heights.

"We are going to climb down the trestle to get out of the house. I did it on Thursday to get out of the house, it worked out perfectly! Well besides the part when I got in more trouble because of it." Emma rambled as she opened the window. Totally oblivious to the fact that Ella was freaking out.

"Is it hard to climb down?" Ella asked in worry.

"No, its easy and I can help you!" Emma said in excitement.

"Ok." Ella said, half-scared and half-excited to do something they weren't supposed to do.

"Here I will go first." Emma said as she stepped out of the window on the ledge and started slowly to the edge where she could grab onto the trestle to climb down it.

Ella stepped out on the ledge nervously and crept towards the side where Emma was getting on the trestle.

Emma coached Ella through it even though Ella was freaking out inside. She didn't want Emma to know about her fear of heights though. She'd rather keep that a secret. It wasn't something she was proud of. She figured it made her less brave and that bothered her a lot.

She somehow made it down without too big of a freak out, but she wasn't looking forward to climbing back up it.

"Wasn't that fun?!" Emma asked with a grin.

"Yeah." Ella said, thinking that now that it was over, it was nice to be out of the house!

"Come on, lets go for a walk!" Emma said as they snuck off.

*****OUAT*****

30 minutes later…

"Girls, time to eat!" David called up the stairs for the third time. "Wonder what is keeping them?"

"I don't know, but we better go see." Mary Margaret said with a sigh. She hoped the girls hadn't gotten into trouble.

They headed up to Emma's room and knocked on the door. When they didn't hear anything, David opened the door. "Emma…Ella…Oh no." David said as he saw the empty room and the open window.

"They climbed out her window?" Mary Margaret said in worry.

David nodded and was about to head out of the room when Emma climbed in through room, unaware of David and Mary Margaret's presence. She looked up as she was half way into see David and Mary Margaret looking at her firmly.

"Uh Hi guys…we just needed some fresh air." Emma tried in a joking manner.

"Oh no you don't. You were grounded for doing exactly what you just did!" David said as he came over to her quickly and pulled her in before looking out the window. He was expecting to see Ella, but he didn't. He came back into the room. "Where's Ella?" David asked Emma in panic.

"She was right behind me." Emma said, but with worry.

"David, she's afraid of heights." Mary Margaret told him in worry.

"Ok. You stay up here in case she makes it up and I'll go outside to check on her." David said before walking out of the room quickly.

David headed outside and to the side of the house to see that Ella was clinging to the trestle tightly about three-fourths of the way up. "Ella, are you okay?" David asked as he thought of what he could do to help her.

Ella grimaced. She thought she heard them in the room. "I'm fine." She didn't want to seem weak in front of David.

David smiled softly. She was a bit stubborn like Emma. "Well do you think you can come back down?"

Ella tried to take a step down, but didn't get it in a hole and almost fell. She clung back to the trestle in fear. "I can't." Ella told him, close to tears.

"Ok. Just hold on, I'll be right back." David said as he ran to get his ladder out of the garage and set it up.

"I'm coming up, Ella." David told her as he started to climb up the ladder that he had put right by the house.

David reached out and patted Ella's back. "I'm here." He told her to try to calm her some. "I'm going to help you get on the ladder, okay?"

"Ok." Ella said quietly.

David coached Ella through coming over to the ladder. It took a little bit since she was scared, but he got her to the ladder. He then coached her down the ladder since she was still shaking from the ordeal. Once they were all the way down. Ella turned to David and hugged him as she shook from fear.

"It's okay. You're safe now." David reassured her. "Come on, lets get you inside to your mom."

David lead Ella back inside to see Mary Margaret and Emma coming down the stairs.

"Is she okay?" Mary Margaret asked as she came over to her.

Ella turned from David and hugged her mom.

"She's okay, just shaken up about it." David said softly. "Why don't you go on into the living room with her? Emma and I will check on dinner." David said wanting to give Ella some space.

"Thank you." Mary Margaret said as she led Ella to the living room to calm her down.

David waited for them to get to the living room before looking at Emma. "Did you know she had a fear of heights?" David asked quietly.

"No, she didn't tell me. She got down fine." Emma said feeling terrible.

"Ok. Why were you two climbing out your window in the first place?" David asked with a frown.

"We just wanted to get out for a little bit." Emma said with a bit of a whine.

"But you two are both grounded and I told you that you were not allowed to climb down or up that trestle. It's dangerous." David responded with a disappointed look.

"I know, but it isn't that dangerous." Emma tried, even though she knew it wasn't going to hold.

"Ella almost fell off the trestle and it is not that sturdy. The wood could break or you could lose your holding and fall from it. Not to mention being on the roof is dangerous too. You are not allowed to go on that roof or the trestle ever again. Do you understand?" David asked sternly.

"Yes, sir." Emma replied.

"Good and I think you should apologize to both Ella and Ms. Blanchard for convincing Ella of this stunt." David added.

"But Ella wanted to leave the room just as much as I did." Emma whined.

"Emma. That's not the point. I know that Ella didn't come up with the idea to sneak out of your room, did she?"

"No, but…" Emma started to argue.

"No buts. You will apologize, but right now we need to check on dinner." David said as he led her to the kitchen.

"Wait, I am in more trouble now?" Emma asked in a whiny voice.

"What do you think?" David asked with a chuckle.

Emma groaned and David chuckled again.

*****OUAT*****

Mary Margaret finally got Ella settled down after a couple of minutes. "Ella, why did you climb out the window? You know that is not safe."

Ella looked down at her hands. "I just wanted to get out for a little bit."

"Ella, you are grounded and you are out of the house getting to spend time with your friend, why did you feel the need to break the rules?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Ok, then why did you climb out onto the roof and down the trestle when you are afraid of heights?"

"I didn't want Emma to know that I was scared of heights." Ella responded seriously.

Mary Margaret nodded in understanding. "So you did something dangerous? Ella that is not good decision making. You know better to do something so dangerous and break the rules of your grounding." Mary Margaret scolded her.

"I'm sorry." Ella mumbled in embarrassment at her Mom scolding her when both Emma and David could hear her.

"You're forgiven, but I will be adding a week to your grounding." Mary Margaret said with a disappointed look at her daughter.

"But Mom…" Ella started to argue.

'Uh uh. You're the one the decided to climb out that window and break the rules so don't complain to me about your consequence or else I will just add to it. Understand, young lady?" Mary Margaret said sternly to her daughter.

"Mom…you're talking to loud…" Ella complained in embarrassment.

Mary Margaret chuckled and shook her head. "I'm sure David and Emma had their own conversation and aren't worrying about ours. Now let's go see if dinner is ready."

Ella nodded, but still was embarrassed by her mom scolding her in the Nolan house.

Mary Margaret led Ella into the kitchen.

David smiled at Mary Margaret. "Ready for dinner?"

"I think we are." Mary Margaret answered.

"Ella, do you need to wash your hands?" David asked and Ella nodded. "You can wash them in the bathroom down the hallway."

Ella nodded and headed to wash her hands. They were pretty dirty after climbing down the trestle. As she was washing them, Emma came over to her.

"I am sorry, I got us in trouble. I shouldn't have suggested that we climb out the window." Emma said with a sympathetic look.

"It's alright, I didn't say no to it. It is just as much my fault as it is yours." Ella said as she finished washing her hands and dried them. Emma then started to wash her hands.

"Why didn't you tell me you were scared of heights?" Emma asked kindly.

"I just didn't want you to think I was a baby. I don't really like sharing that detail about myself. It makes me weak." Ella tried to explain.

"It doesn't make you weak. Everyone is scared of something." Emma said softly.

"I know, but I don't like that about myself. I would rather not be a scared-cat with heights." Ella said with a frown.

"I know what you mean, but its okay to have a fear of heights." Emma said as she dried her hands. "So did you get in any more trouble?"

"Yes. I got an extra week of restriction." Ella said with a roll of her eyes. "What about you?"

"I am not sure what consequence I am getting, but he said that I was in more trouble. I hope he doesn't extend my grounding, it is already long enough!" Emma complained.

"How long are you grounded for again?" Ella asked.

"For at least the next two weeks." Emma said with a groan.

"Girls, what's taking so long?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Nothing, we are ready." Ella said quickly and followed Emma out of the bathroom to the kitchen.

*****OUAT*****

"Thank you for coming and sorry for what happened with the girls." David said with an apologetic look.

"It wasn't your fault. Ella was just as much as at fault as Emma was." Mary Margaret replied.

David nodded with a smile. "Hey I was wondering if I take you out again soon? On a real date?"

Mary Margaret blushed. They had gone out for coffee or dinner at Granny's, but it was always casual. He was talking about a real date where they got dressed up and went to a nice place. "I would like that."

"Good, would tomorrow be too soon?" David asked with a sheepish smile.

"That would be fine, we're you thinking lunch or dinner?" Mary Margaret asked with a smile.

"I was thinking lunch, if that will work?" David answered.

"That would be perfect." Mary Margaret said.

Emma and Ella had been saying goodbye and just started to walk towards their parents and heard about their date. Emma pulled Ella back into the kitchen.

"If they both go on a date…." Emma started with a mischievous look.

"We could sneak out and do something!" Ella whispered in excitement. She knew this wasn't something they should do, but for some reason she just was liking doing things like Emma did.

"Yes!" Emma replied with a grin.

"What would we do?" Ella asked with a grin.

"Go to a movie?" Emma said with a grin.

"Ok, I'll just have to figure out how to get my mom to give me money…" Ella said with a frown. Her allowance got taken away until she was off her grounding.

"Tell her it is for a field trip." Emma suggested.

"She would know about it already. She would know I was lying right away." Ella said with a frown. "I'll figure it out."

"I'll have to figure it out too." Emma said thinking she didn't have any money either. "Well if we don't get the money we will just do something else."

"Ok, but I'll try." Ella said.

"Me too." Emma said. "Where should we meet tomorrow?"

"Do you know where the castle is?" Ella asked.

"There is a castle in Storybrooke?" Emma asked with skeptical look.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Not a real castle. It is a playground, it's a bit broken down so not many kids actually play on it, but I like to go there. It's kind of my place. Normally no one is there."

"Cool. Where is it?" Emma asked.

"It's by the beach just off of Main Street." Ella told her.

"Ella, lets go." Mary Margaret called.

Emma whispered into Ella's ear. "Meet there about 15 minutes after they leave?"

Ella nodded.

David and Mary Margaret looked at each other with a suspicious look. Their girls looked like they were up to something.

Ella came over to her mom.

"What were you two whispering about?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter.

"Nothing." Ella said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes as David frowned. He could tell when someone was lying or avoiding telling the truth and Ella was avoiding the truth which meant that their daughters were up to something.

"Well I will see you tomorrow at 11:30?" Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"I'm looking forward to it." David said with charming smile.

Emma and Ella just rolled their eyes at each other.

"Me too." Mary Margaret said as she blushed a little before looking over at Ella. "Let's go, Ella."

Ella started to follow her mom.

"Bye Ella." David said with a kind smile at her.

"Bye." Ella said shyly. She felt a little weird around him still. She wanted so badly to have a relationship with him, but she wasn't sure if he necessarily wanted to get to know her or just her mom. Not that he was bad guy, but she just didn't see him wanting to get to know her. And she wasn't exactly used to having a Dad or someone that was supposed to be her Dad, at least she hoped he was her real father, just liked she hoped that her mom was her real mother. If the curse broke and she found out that she wasn't their daughter, she would be crushed. Because why would they want her if they were back to being their pre-curse selves that were royalty. They wouldn't want her if she wasn't their daughter. She would be nobody, nobody to anybody.

"Ella? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked as Ella sat in the passenger side quietly. She hadn't spoken since they left David's place.

"Yeah." Ella replied.

Mary Margaret frowned. "Then why are you so quiet?" She asked kindly.

"I'm fine, mom." Ella responded with a tired sigh.

Mary Margaret nodded and backed off. She knew Ella would come to her when she wanted to, but she hated seeing her sad. She briefly wondered if it was about her not having a dad, again. It had been a recurring issue with her which was totally understandable. Little girls want their Dads and Ella never had one. They didn't even know who her real parents were. There was no trace of her parents. Then she had never married. The only person that she has ever considered would be David. She had never felt a connection so strong with any of the other guys in town. It was weird. She felt like she already knew him. She also felt as if she already loved him. She shook her head, realizing how it was too soon to have those feelings for a guy. She couldn't possibly be in love with David already or could she?

I have a lot of good ideas for the the events leading up to the curse breaking and I'll be trying to get to the curse breaking in the next few chapters. Hope you like this chapter. If you have any suggestions, I loved to hear them!