C'est La Vie: Once Upon a Time

A Bittersweet Encounter

Chapte Three: A Bittersweet encounter

The next following day, Emma was in her apartment just finishing up getting ready, but right after grabbed her red jacket where it was placed on top of the armchair next to her closet. Emma went to restroom to get Henry so they can go to the diner and eat. The blonde woman knocked and called out to her 12 year son, "Henry let go." Then she heard someone flush the toilet, and the white door opened showing her boy, "Yea, ready mom". He had a big grin on his face, after what happened yesterday. Henry was wearing blue jeans, sneakers, blue shirt, and she happened to be wearing jeans, dark black ankle boots, white tan shirt and her red jacket. She replied to her son, "Come on then". Just when they were leaving the apartment, she saw something on top of the kitchen counter, she walked up to where it was and saw something she didn't really think she still have, but it was there. What she saw her old black glasses she wore back before she came to storybrooke also when she was pregnant with her son Henry, their son at around four or five months. She didn't want to think of the past, that guy in the small motel room she had spend with the father of her child during their time in Portland, Oregon, then the betrayal in Vancouver. After, those 11 years after 2001 meeting her son again in her Boston apartment on her twenty-eighth birthday. Henry then took her out from the thoughts she was having just by saying, "Mom, What is that?"She said to him with a sigh not wanting to tell her son what it represented for her was a bad memory. She said quickly, " there nothing kiddo, lets head's out before were late."

Arriving at Granny's Diner, Emma came up to Red and Granny with Henry beside her. She hugged both of them and asked them, "Has my parents come yet?" Red and her grandmother said yes they have and pointed to the left side on the center booth table. Once Henry and Emma saw them they made their way to where her parents were and sat on right side Snow was facing Henry and Emma looking at her father. "Morning Em, how'd you and our Henry sleep?" said both her parents with a smile while looking at both their daughter and grandson. "He slept well; I couldn't sleep from the recent events that have happened." Answered Emma feeling rather uncomfortable while staring down at her hands, and also sitting down next to her son. Charming exchanged a quick stare with Snow of understanding that his daughter was feeling now that she knew they were her biological parents. He mouthed to his wife knowing wanted to say to their grown up daughter "Now is not the ideal time, love." Instead of saying something, Snow kept her quiet knowing that this time her husband was certainly right of that she mustn't anger Emma right now. They ate silently after ten minutes of awkwardness.

Emma couldn't explain the urge of nervousness she suddenly felt that moment, like something wasn't right. Her eyes traveled to the door of the entrance of the dinner and saw a stranger appear. The new stranger went up to where Ruby was and asked he could have a table. She told him to follow her to the third booth table from where we were sitting. Emma saw that the new person was wearing a gray shirt, brown cargo pants, black sun glasses and a tan cap. But she could tell he was medium build with short brown hair, but she couldn't tell what his eye color was. After five minutes Granny appeared at the guy table and asked him "what would like to have?" a cup of dark coffee please", replied the stranger. Then Granny said filled with curiosity "Where did you come from? "" I came from Manhattan, after leaving Portland, Oregon a few years back. I came here for a few days while I'm break from work." said the stranger. Granny simply said she would be right back with his drink. But he didn't realize that Emma heard when he mentioned Portland, she then thought of someone who she should've not be thinking of, but did at that very moment while she felt her hands tremble, but stopped so her family wouldn't ask. After fifteen minutes later, Granny came and gave the stranger his coffee. Then Emma ordered another hot coco with cinnamon, like when the strong blonde woman thought of that creep he thought of the woman he cared for once and still did who loved cinnamon in her coco.

Then Snow asked her daughter while holding Charming and Henry hand "You should see who that guy is? What better way to present yourself to him and you are the town's sheriffs by the way."" Oh, Alright! Even though I want to avoid this conversation any further, I will and I know your right" she sighed with frustration at her mother while staring at her father. Emma set her cup of coco down and patted her son hand, then stood up and just she started to walk up to the table where the stranger was drinking his drink she felt that jitter of nervousness coming back. When Emma got to where the stranger sat she pulled a strand of her blonde curly bangs away from her eyes, so she can see the stranger. "Hello, your new here in town aren't you?"I'm the sheriff of the town" asked Emma now curious of whom the newcomer might be. Then before replying the stranger took off his cap and the dark shades "Yes, I am and pleasure to meet you Sheriff" he said to the tall blonde. "Where did you come from?" asked Emma bravely to the dark haired man. "I came from Manhattan" he replied and heard her silent. Then he looked up to stare at the woman with his brown eyes wide with surprise. "Neal?" whispered Emma while she was shocked to see the last person she ever expect to see again and her hands shook. "Emma?" replied Neal staring at her green eyes full of fear that she had.

"Why are you here? How did you know I'd be here? Get Out!" the angry Emma shouted at Neal. Then added" I don't care of your damn explanation you have for me or happen to have rehearsed for me." Emma shouted once again at him looking at him with hurt in his eyes. She didn't realize that her parents were there with Henry whom was holding her mother's hand. "Em, Honey what's the matter?" asked her father with concerned. "Nothing's the matter." said Em to her father softly. She was turning to leave when she saw someone grabbed a hold of her arm and turned her head, and she saw Neal " Let me go right this insistent" she growled at him shrugging out of his hold he had on her. "Em, Let me explain please. You don't know what really happened" he said with soft but broken voice filled with regret. No! I don't to hear it! Replied the angry tall blonde and feeling a bit scared that her past came back. Just then she looked at Henry who she realized heard his mother angry argument with the new guy. She at Neal then his mother and father and sighed angrily. " Get Henry out of here please?" said Emma to her father staring at each other's green eyes with concerned that told him that she didn't want her son to hear anything else. Her father just nodded not happy in leaving her daughter with the man that made her angry by his presence, then he nodded "Okay, Sweetie. Just take care of yourself Em." said Charming to his daughter. He gave her a quick hug and kissed her forehead and waited for her answer "Thanks, and I will" simply replied Emma with an uncertainty knowing her lied to him. With that she saw him leave with her mother and son. She saw the look of concerned of her son face about to say something so he wouldn't leave her alone, " Go Henry with them son. I'll find you later okay." said Emma looking at him hard and the twelve year old knew not to say another word to his mother and nodded left.

When she saw that her parents and her son left she turned to look back at Neal. She saw that he was staring at her with shock an unreadable expression. Their eyes locked his brown to her green. He let go of his hold on her stepping back a bit. Just before, he could say anything "Let's not talk here, somewhere else. I will hear what you have to say to me Neal." said Emma feeling nervous just by looking him and put her hair back behind her ear. Neal simply nodded and they left the Diner after he paid the thin brown hair woman who wore Red lipstick named Ruby. She looked at Emma wondering what she angry was and why they argued, but Emma simply turned her gaze away not wanting to look at her, so she would need to explain to anyone. It was bad enough she had this encounter with Neal after all those years and knowing she'd have to explain what happened to her parents when they will certainly ask soon enough, making things worse not wanting to say anything to her son about anything so she wouldn't hurt him. She knew her was a tricky smart kid reminded her of how he was so much alike with herself with her personality, but he had the looks of his father whom happens to be Neal Cassidy, that complete jerk. With that after the bill was paid, they left and walked to the beach and awkwardly all silent for ten minutes that felt like an eternity