Repeat (A Once Upon A Time Fanfiction / Captain Swan's Daughter)

41

"Here we are again." Emma said, slamming the door. Like yesterday, we were parked in the exact same spot outside of the court house. I waited for Emma to lock the door before we entered. Of course, I knew the way in this time, but I still didn't want to go in alone.

"It's busier today." I said. We had been the only people here the day before, but now we had to sit on a few chairs near the wall.

I couldn't talk to Emma, because she used the spare time to call Killian and update him on what was going on. He worried about his girls, even though we had both been as streetwise as your average adult by the of ten. I was looking around the room, but making sure not to make eye contact with any strangers.

The girl who was previously at the front of the line turned around and managed to make eye contact with me. I recognised her.

"Phoebe?" The girl smiled. She had long ginger hair that had been loosely put into two braids down her back. She was tall and had blue eyes. It took a moment for me to recognise her.

"Ellie, oh my god." I smiled back, standing up from the green plastic chair and running to give her a hug. "I haven't seen you for years."

"I'm surprised you recognised me without my acne and puppy fat." Ellie joked. She had always been pretty, but had bad skin from a young age. She hadn't eaten particularly badly, but has been a chubby child. Now, she looked almost unhealthy due to her weight loss.

"Of course I'd recognise you." I snapped back, "what're you doing here?"

"I'm in the process of being emancipated. We've both been bouncing through foster homes since I was 2-years-old, and I can't be bothered waiting another two years until I'm eighteen."

"Fair enough." I nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Ellie returned the question. I was about to answer when Emma interrupted.

"Phoebe?" She called.

I grabbed Ellie's arm and dragged her back to the little green chairs. I hadn't seen her for four years, but we had a sisterly bond and didn't have a polite or awkward stage when we first saw each other after a long time.

"Ellie, this is my mom, Emma." I introduced the two. Ellie and I had both talked about our unknown mothers, and I hoped she would be happy for me.

"I told you magic existed." Ellie smiled at me, not seeking jealous in the slightest. She had never been a jealous person. "It's so nice to meet you, Emma."

"It's nice to meet you too." Emma smiled back.

I knew Ellie would have questions and want an update on everything that had happened in the last four years of my life, so I sat her down next to me and told her the story while we waited, leaving out the parts about magic. I didn't go into details with the family tree, either.

"I'm so glad you're happy. It broke my heart seeing you depressed the last time I saw you." Ellie smiles supportively. I glanced at Emma, who was giving me concerned motherly looks after learning about my past depression. She was currently on the phone with David, so couldn't butt in.

"It's your turn next." I told Ellie, convincingly.

"I think it's too late to find a family. I lost hope ages ago." Ellie's expression dropped a little, but she didn't seem too upset.

"That's what I said." I told her.

Before Ellie could reply, a speaker called one of the people waiting back to the desk.

"Robin mills." The crackly speaker voice called.

"That's me." Ellie stood up from the plastic seat.

"Robin?" I questioned, grabbing her hand so she would have to answer.

"When I was the little fat kid, the older boys used to call me Big Bird, so I've gone by Ellie since I was about five." Ellie casually explained before sauntering off to the desk, not noticing my dropped jaw. I turned to meet Emma's eyes, and she was just as in awe as I was. What were the chances of my best friend, a sixteen-year-old, red haired foster child being called Robin Mills?

Ellie returned half a minute later holding a large brown envelope with her birth name written across the front.

"Ellie, when's your birthday?" Emma asked before she could even take a seat. Due to Emma's past jobs, she was always prepared with suitable questions and reactions. I, however, was still speechless.

"March 3rd, why?" Ellie answered, not thinking twice about the question.

Emma reached across my seat and put her hand on Ellie's forearm, gabbing her attention. "Ellie, I think we know your mom."

Emma bit her lips from the inside, anxious to get a reaction from Ellie, or Robin. If we were right, it meant that my best friend was really my family. We had always said we were sisters when we were younger, but our only similarity was our blue eyes, and they weren't even the same shade of blue. We were so close during the five years we spent together. Probably closer than real sisters. We spent at least 23 hours of our day together most days.

"You got all this from my birthday and my name?" Ellie asked, "Mills isn't a rare surname."

"I'm sure there aren't any other foster kids called with red hair, blue eye, born on March 3rd, with the name Robin Mills." Emma pointed out.

There was a pause where I assumed Ellie was taking everything in. None of the three of us were talking, but being in a public building meant it wasn't quiet.

"Do I look like her, the person you think could be my mom?" Ellie asked, trying hard not to show her eagerness.

"I didn't see it at first, but you actually look a lot alike." Emma told her, "smile."

Ellie smiled, showing off her Zelena-like mouth.

"Yeah, a lot alike." Emma repeated. I nodded, wondering how I didn't see the resemblance the first time I saw Zelena months ago. Especially after we started our secret search-for-Robin mission. The first time I met Zelena she was angry, but during our second meeting we almost immediately became close. Now that I think about it, it was probably because of the Ellie/Robin link.

"You're sure?" Ellie asked. She wasn't letting herself get her hopes up, which was a skill all three of us had learnt from growing up in care.

"I can't be sure, but I would bet all my money on it." Emma confirmed, making eye contact with Ellie to prove she was being 100% honest.

"Can we-" Ellie gestured towards the exit.

"You can come with us to the car." Emma offered, knowing she wouldn't decline. The three of us walked towards the exit. It was windy outside, and the wind was blowing our different coloured hair behind us. Blonde, brown, and red in a row.