The Other Swan Sister

Chapter 2

"Ivy!!" You hear Emma squeal as she finally comes out to meet you.
"Jesus, Em! I've been walking around for ages!" You chuckle softly into her overbearing hug.
"I know, I'm sorry. I got caught up. How'd you like it so far?" She grins, somewhat out of breath.
"I see what you mean when you described this place." You laugh, still so unsure of this little town.
"Let's get you inside, birthday girl."

"Mom? Dad?" Emma calls out as she opens the front door.
You hide around the corner a little before coming out.
"Yes, Emma?" You hear two familiar voices call back sweetly.
God, how you've missed being a part of a family.
"I have a surprise for you." She grins again before coming back to you and dragging you by the arm.
"Surprise!" You grin as Emma pulls you through the front door.
Your parents freeze in shock for a moment and you almost convince yourself they're not happy you're here. Then all of a sudden, they both begin chattering excitedly as they rush over to embrace you.
"Oh my goodness, Ivy!!" MM calls out, her voice wobbling with emotion.
"Our little girl!" David adds in with a kind smile.
"Not little anymore, Dad." You tease, mumbling into the embrace.
They finally let you go and just stare at you in awe.
"You don't have to stare at me I promise you I'm real." You chuckle and look to Emma.
"I just... can't believe it." MM utters.
"What are you doing here?" David asks in disbelief.
"Wait!" MM suddenly interrupts and rushes over to a drawer in the kitchen.
Everyone frowns, unsure of what could be so important. She pulls out a box with a ribbon around it and presents it to you.
"Happy birthday, sweetie."
"Oh, Mom." You exhale, so overwhelmed by the gesture. "You really got me something?"
"Of course we did." David smiles. "It's the least we could do, we thought you'd be miles away from us."
"Well... I guess you can thank Emma for that."
"Me?"
"Yeah. If you hadn't texted me in that moment, I don't think I would have seriously thought of coming." You smile. "I missed you guys so much. There's nowhere else I would want to be right now."
Another hug engulfs you and you can't help but smile at how easily you fit back in.
"Now, open it!" MM urges excitedly.
"Yeah, saves us having to post it to you." Your father jokes.
You chuckle as you begin unwrapping the box, revealing a stunning, dainty diamond necklace.
"Oh my god. Guys!" You scold them gratefully for buying such an expensive present.
"Emma picked it out." MM adds cheerfully.
"You did?" You ask, suddenly emotional.
"Mhm." Emma nods kindly.
"Thank you. I love you."

You wake up in the spare room, you had to share with Emma. She hasn't been here in this town for all that long either so she doesn't have her own place yet.
"Em? Get up. It's 10 already." You suddenly begin getting up. She groans at you and you roll your eyes, smacking her with your pillow.
"Lazy." You taunt as you reach for a hoodie on the ground and head out to the kitchen.
"There's my sleepy head!" David bellows with a grin, making you wince from the volume.
That's one thing about your parents; always terminally cheerful.
"Good morning, love." MM coos as she wraps you in a hug.
"Morning. Coffee?" You mutter as you glance around the kitchen.
"Over here." David replies, grabbing a mug from the cupboard for you.
"What are you guys doing today?" You ask, somewhat distracted preparing your coffee.
"Oh, we have to have a celebration."
Your head shoots up.
Oh, God no.
"For what?" You ask with a frown.
"Oh God, is Mom already planning the parade?" Emma taunts as she rubs her eyes, finally getting up.
"She's alive!" David bellows equally as cheerful as before.
"Is that my hoodie?" Emma asks through her haze.
"No."
It is.
"Mary-Margaret, what's the celebration?" David encourages her to continue.
"For Ivy's arrival, of course!"
"And her birthday!" Emma adds with a smirk.
You glare at her, she knows this is the last thing you would want.
"It's fine honestly." You try to urge but you know it's useless once your mother sets her mind to something like this.
"No, we must! You can meet everyone in town and we can do it at Granny's!" MM's excitement is growing by the second.
"Granny's?" You mumble to yourself. "Sounds wild."
You hide your eye roll behind your coffee. David catches your eye and smiles with humour, knowing just as well as Emma that this is not your ideal day.
You glare at him to talk to Mom but he only smiles more and puts his hands up, showing he doesn't want to get involved.
"What do you think, honey?" MM asks cheerfully, still clueless.
"Sounds great, Mom." You fake, knowing it will make her happy.
David and Emma snicker under their breaths and you shoot them a look each.
"Should we invite Regina?" Emma asks and you notice a slight change in atmosphere.
Who's Regina?
"You said everyone's invited, right?" You ask curiously.
MM falters for a second before nodding.
"Yes. Everyone's invited."

"Granny! Ruby! This is, my daughter Ivy!" MM brightly introduces you.
You smile kindly and wave to them.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you both." You reply.
Granny nods sharply with a kind smile and a wave across the diner.
"Hey, Blondie. It's so nice to finally have someone in this town who's my age! Everyone else is so old and boring." She mutters to you and you chuckle lightly.
This girl seems fun.
"Ruby. Leave the poor girl alone." Granny scolds her lightly and Ruby merely rolls her eyes.
"Talk later. Ask for Ruby if you need anything." She winks with a wolfish grin and you nod in agreement.
First friend.
Kind of?
"Honey? Come and listen to this!" MM ushers you over to her and Granny's conversation with a smile. "So the food will go here? And there's going to be a cake over there."
"A cake?" You gawk.
Jesus, Mom.
"Yes. Just a little one." MM defends.
You begin to wander over to the bar and out of the conversation.
"So... what can I getcha?" Ruby asks positively.
"Is it too early for a drink?" You joke and Ruby leans over the bar.
"I won't tell if you don't." You grins and you chuckle in response.
"I'll save them for later." You dismiss. "Could I just get a coffee please, Ruby?"
"Sure thing! Coming right up." She grins again and you glance around the room before looking out the window from afar.
You see that brunette mayor strutting along the sidewalk, looking as if she's on her way to murder someone. It wouldn't even surprise you if she was, to be honest. You notice how well dressed she is and admire her figure; or what you can see of it from there.
"Checking out the Evil Mayor?" Ruby mutters into her space, causing you to jump.
"Oh!" You jump. "You scared me. And no, I wasn't checking her out. I was just glancing outside." You defend cooly. "...Evil, huh? So she's not just horrific to me, then? I was beginning to think I had some special privilege."
Ruby giggles at your slight blush and slides the coffee across the counter.
"Oh, yeah, she's a royal bitch. Let's just say her and Emma took a while to sit in the same room. But I'm not judging your little crush." She raises her eyebrows as she goes back to work.
I wasn't checking her out, was I?
I was just looking out the window.
"Sounds a lot like my sister."

Suddenly your phone buzzes and you see it was Emma.
Emma: Mom dragged you along to the party planning, huh?
You roll your eyes and laugh at the message.
Save me?
You finish the remnants of the coffee and wait for a buzz.
Emma: Come outside. I'll show you a spot.
You immediately tuck your phone into your jeans.
"Mom?" You call out as you put your jacket on.
"Oh, you're going so soon?" She asks as she steps over to you.
"Emma wants to show me a place. Thank you for this. I'll be back later." You kiss her on the cheek before storming out of the diner as fast as you can.

"Jesus, kid, you look like you saw a ghost in there." Emma smirks as you land in the passenger seat.
"Don't." You chuckle as Emma pulls away.

You pull up at a beach side area and Emma begins walking toward a wooden castle in a kids playground.
"This is the spot?" You ask curiously, knowing it must have some kind of meaning.
Emma sits on the ledge and gestures for you to join her.
"This was where Henry and I used to come and talk. When we wanted to escape the rest of the town." She says, clearly reminiscing.
"Henry is... your boyfriend?" You ask, still a little confused.
"Henry's my son."
"Your son?!" You repeat with complete shock. "What? Emma- are you serious? Why didn't you ever tell me?!"
She exhales heavily.
"It's complicated. And it still is... he lives with his mother at the moment."
"His mother? You have a wife?"
"No! God, no." Emma winces thinking about being married to Regina. "Not that that's bad but just... with her- no!"
"So..." you ask, getting more and more lost as the conversation goes on. "How old is he?"
"You know when I went to prison?"
"Briefly."
You were young at the time.
"I was pregnant. I had a baby and gave him up for adoption. Turns out he lived here in Storybrooke where Mom and Dad moved."
"And that's just a coincidence?! Do Mom and Dad know about this?!" You squawk, knowing they'd have a fit if they knew.
"It's complicated. They do now." Emma let's out a breathy laugh.
"Is that why you came here?" You ask gently.
"Something like that."
"Why is he just living with his adoptive mother?"
She exhales once again, clearly the topic weighs heavily on her heart.
"I hung up my rights to him when I gave him up. It's my fault so I can't be mad. But... I just wish his mother treated him right. I just want to be there. Can't I change my mind?" Emma never cries but you know she's on the verge right now.
You wrap one arm around her and hug her.
"Em, it's not all your fault. You'll be a wonderful mother some day. But imagine how you'd feel if you adopted a child and then someone else came along who could confuse the little guy into thinking his other Mom isn't real or doesn't love him. It's not fair to her, Em, no matter how much you disagree with her parenting."
"I know." She gives in. "I just can't help but feel drawn to him and even to this town."