Great Masterminds Think Alike

Emma had never believed in happy endings. She'd grown up living in the foster care system, meaning Emma hadn't exactly had the fairytale life her parents had grown up with. Prince Charming and Snow White had only been characters in a story to her for twenty-eight years. Which was why, when her parents told Emma about soulmarks, she wasn't inclined to believe them. No one in the world outside of Storybrooke had matching marks on their skin unless they got tattoos.

"They can't just.... Appear!" Emma protested. Her mind was whirling and she'd balled her hands into fists at her sides. Mary Margret gazed at her with understanding eyes. She reached across the kitchen counter and placed a hand on Emma's tense shoulder.

"They can, and they do." Mary Margaret told her daughter gently. Emma's lie detector didn't catch anything.

"But science-"

"Has never been able to explain magic." David added. "Remember August?"

Emma didn't respond. What could she say? Her parents (she'd never get over that) were looking at her like they were afraid she was going to run for the hills. She stepped backwards from the edge of the counter and let Mary Margaret's hand fall off her shoulder. As soon as she saw the hurt look on her mom's face, Emma instantly regretted it, but she had to go.

"Emma-"

"I need some air." Emma said hurriedly. Both of her parents started protesting.

"I'll be back in an hour." They both visibly relaxed. Emma tried not to let the hurt show on her face. Did they honestly still think she could just... leave? Drive away from Storybrooke and never look back? That wasn't who Emma Swan was anymore. Turning away from their concerned faces, and the matching white doves on their wrists, Emma grabbed her leather jacket off of her chair and quickly fled the apartment. In her haste to escape, she accidentally slammed the door behind her. The loud sound made her wince.

When she got outside, Emma immediately felt calmer. The apartment was close to the ocean and she could smell the salt on the air. Wind whipped at her hair and her breath came out in icy puffs. The chill momentarily made her forget about the first big parents/child conversation she'd just had with Mary Margaret and David. Her parents. Snow White and Prince Charming, who each somehow had the image of a tiny white dove on their hand without ever having gotten a tattoo.

Emma shoved her hand roughly in her pocket and produced her battered iphone. She typed out a quick text with shaking fingers.

Out for a while. Dinner's in the fridge. Frozen pizza okay? Love you

She got Henry's reply a minute later, just as she was nearing Granny's.

Of course! Thanks mom Love you too

Emma almost smiled, but her frozen mouth couldn't quite manage it, or her chilly mood. Her teeth were chattering when she finally flung the door open and embraced the relief of another heated building. The cold had been nice for a couple of minutes, but Emma was suddenly craving a hot chocolate and a comfy spot in the corner booth.

"Hey Emma!" A familiar voice called. Emma was able to manage a sort of grimace for Ruby. The werewolf girl was serving fries to a young couple who were gazing at each other lovingly. Emma tried not to throw up.

"Hi Ruby."

"The usual table?"

"Yep."

Ruby whipped out her notepad and a pencil from behind her ear.

"What'll it be?"

Emma opened her mouth to say "hot chocolate", but what came out was...

"A drink. The strongest one you've got." Ruby frowned.