The Shadow's compass (Killian Jones)

Boston

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      'You handle the guy, I'll get us some food.' Isabelle said, holding her phone close to her ear.

The woman looked through the endless shelves of food. Her hands touching every product most likely to see if it would fit in the pockets of her jacket. Her eyes scanned the store carefully.

'You don't have to, we still have enough.' Emma responded with a sigh.

 Isabelle picked up a bottle of red wine and smirked 'It's your special day, birthday girl. And because of that we need to pretend our lives aren't miserable for at least a few hours.'

Before the blonde could respond the owner of the shop yelled 'CLOSING IN FIVE MINUTES! HURRY UP PEOPLE I HAVE PLACES TO BE!'

'Gotta go! Good luck!' Isabelle didn't wait for a response, not wanting to give Emma the chance to protest again as she hung up.

She grabbed a cupcake, some candles and the red wine. It wasn't much, but they couldn't risk the police coming around and asking the wrong questions. That was an unspoken rule, when you steal, steal little.
Instead of going to pay, Talya, stepped back, leaning on the shadow the wall provided. The darkness helped her sneak out, without anyone noticing, like she was never there. The young woman smiled to herself as she walked through the crowded streets of Boston. Once a thief, always a thief.

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'He really tried to run?' Isa asked taking another sip from her glass of red wine.

 They were seated at the only table their shared apartment had. The blonde was telling her friend about her latest job.

Emma laughed 'He did, probably thinking I'm a beginner or something.'

Isabelle got up and lit a candle, putting it on the top of the cupcake. Emma looked at her surprised clear on her face, accompanied by a genuine smile. She stared at the thief for a moment, her family with, for the first time in forever, actual tears in her eyes.
    Emma thought she met Isabelle the day she got out of prison and Neal disappeared. When in truth she has been watching over her since before she was even born.
   
'Happy birthday, Em!' Isa said softly.

  And as she looked at Emma she saw him again. It made her heart ache, memories resurfacing without her permission. It got better with time. At first she could barely even look at the girl she was supposed to protect because she would only see him. In the way she smiled, the way she talked about the things she liked. In the way she protected others, her blonde hair and kind eyes. There were reminders of him everywhere. She even got his stubbornness.

'Thank you.' The blonde said with emotion.

 The thief's eyes softened. Neither women usually voiced their feelings or got emotional. It was just their way of being.

Isa shook her head 'It's nothing really I was going to that shop anyways so...'

Emma laughed once more, struggling to keep tears from falling 'Not for that.'

'Then for what?' Isa questioned.

Emma reached forward, placing her hand over Isabelle's. 'For being my family.'

A knock at the door interrupted their moment. Emma sighed and got up to go see who could possibly be knocking at their door in the dead of night.

'If it's the police I say we jump of the window. Oh, wait, never mind, we live on the eighth floor.' she heard Isa lean over the window.

Emma rolled her eyes playfully at her friend before opening the door. There stood a little boy who stared at her with curious eyes.

'Umm...Can I help you?' The blonde asked, confusion clear on her face.

'Are you Emma Swan?' he answered with a question of his own.

 Isa came up from behind her to see what was going on. 'When I said I wanted another soul in the house I meant steal a dog, not steal a child, Em.'

The blonde ignored her, too focused on the boy. 'Yes. Who are you?'

Then he spoke the words that were going to change Emma Swan's life as she knew it and give Isabelle Black's life back as she used to know it once upon a time.

'My name is Henry and I'm your son.'

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'Hey, kid. What's that book?' Talya asked from the back seat of the small yellow car.

'She is not ready for it yet.' Henry responded, not so subtly pointing to Emma as they drove past a sign that said Welcome to Storybrooke Maine.

Isa took a glance at the blonde's reaction. The both knew the kid was telling the truth, Emma was his mom. The thief knew her friend was too afraid to say it out loud because when you say something out loud it becomes real or at least it starts feeling real.
Emma parked the car and the three got out.

'Look, it's been a long night and it's almost...8:15?' The blonde questioned, staring at the clock tower in disbelief.

'That clock hasn't moved all my life. Time is frozen here.' Henry clarified for the two women.

Isa raised one brow, clearly amused. 'Excuse me?'

Henry turned to her as he started explaining. 'The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here.'

While Emma held in laugh, not believing a word, Isabelle froze in place.

The curse