Finding Hope in Rainbows

Chapter 1

Regina lifted her head from the top of the steering wheel. She moaned as she felt the sticky blood on her forehead. She quickly glanced around her, trying to ascertain what had happened.

"Ugh." The rapid movement caused Regina to acknowledge the pounding in her head.

"This is Julie with OnStar. I have detected that you have had an accident. I have called 911. Are you alright Ms. Mills?"

"Yes, I am fine. I am just a little dizzy."

"Help is on the way. I will stay on the line with you until they arrive."


Emma stood from her crouched position by the logs, examining the amount of work still left to do. "David? How many more trees will we need to get us through the winter?"

"I don't know Emma. They say it is supposed to be a bad winter this year." He stated as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Come on, it's only August. We have plenty of time."

"Yeah, but we have to start early or we will be surprised by the first snow."

"I know, but we do this every year. We will be fine. Come on, I bet Mary Margaret has some fresh squeezed lemonade made. I'll race you!" David challenged. The two adults raced into the house and slid into the kitchen.

"You two are acting like children!" Mary Margaret scolded while smiling at their behavior. Emma just shrugged and smiled at her while realizing that her makeshift family might not be blood, but they were all she needed. She had been in foster care all of her life, always feeling unwanted and unworthy. But at 16, she was moved to a large house in the middle of nowhere and raised by an elderly woman who lived with her son. The woman had changed Emma's life and put her on a better path.

"Shhhh. I want to hear this." Mary Margaret said as she pulled Emma out of her thinking and drew her attention to the television.

" And last night, Regina Mills; movie star and daughter of billionaire Henry and Cora Mills, was involved in another vehicle accident. It appears she was on an illegal substance as well as intoxicated. She was booked last night on multiple charges including driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. This is Ms. Mills' fourth vehicular accident in the last year and her name has continued to be brought up for indiscretions.

As the newscaster moved on to the next story, Mary Margaret could not contain herself any longer. "Why is she doing that to herself?"

Emma looked from the television to see Mary Margaret staring at her. "Many people act out for different reasons. You know that M&M." Emma replied. She only used Mary Margaret's nickname to make her understand Emma was not brushing her off.

"You have to help her Emma!"

"M&M, I don't know if I can." Emma responded quietly.


"Daddy please!" Regina begged from inside the bars. She had been locked in a smelly cell through the entire night. Her parents had never let her sit for this long.

"I'm sorry Regina. Your mother and I have made a decision. We are no longer taking care of your problems. You are a twenty-eight year old woman, acting like a teenager. It is time you grow up and take responsibilities."

"Is this both of your decision or HERS?" Regina responded angrily.

Henry sighed deeply and took a moment to compose himself. "I love you Regina. I love you so much that I covered most of your indiscretions. I paid people to take the fall for you. I have bribed judges and officials. I have paid for three different rehabilitation centers and you left each one. I am doing more harm than good at this point. I know how extraordinary of a woman you are and yet you rebel. You can be something great and instead you-"

"No. I never wanted the pressure of being the prodigy you and mother imagined." Regina interrupted. "If you will not bail me out, then leave. Just leave."

"Regina, I..."

"GO!" Regina shouted as she turned and walked the twelve feet to the cinder block wall. She began to cry as the desertion began to sink in. She heard her father's footsteps dwindle and her body began to shake from the force of the sobs.

"Ma'am?"

Regina turned to see a guard standing at the bars. "Yes?"

Her hopeful expression nearly broke the man. "Your father refuses to bail you out. Would you like to call anyone else?"

"No, if they cut me off, then so has everyone else I know." She replied as her shoulders sagged.

"Then I will move you out of the holding cell and to a private cell."

"Well at least I get my own cell."

"Actually, you have to share with three other women, but at least it is not a community cell." Regina glumly shook her head and followed the guard out of the cell.


"Emma! Phone!" Mary Margaret yelled from the kitchen door. Emma quickly turned her horse around and rode back to the house. Mary Margaret could be a timid woman, but the people that truly knew her realized very quickly that she would say what she felt and said it with conviction. It always surprised Emma when M&M would call for her and she could hear the woman's voice all the way to the barn. Emma jumped off the horse and strode into the house. M&M pointed to the phone sitting on the counter.

"Hello."

"Emma Swan, good to hear your voice."

"Judge Hopper! How are you?"

"I am well, but this is not a personal call. Guess what case file just landed on my docket?"

"I don't know, but I never like it when you start with that question."

Judge Hopper chuckled, "Regina Mills."

"I thought she would have bailed herself out and paid for all of this to disappear already." Emma stated angrily.

"I did as well, but I have heard, that her family has cut her off. She will be treated as anyone else in that situation. Which is where you come in. When you founded the Hope in Rainbows Project, you wanted to help people that had destructive behavior. Well, here she is."

"Archie! First off, I do not know if I can help her, I don't know if anyone can. Secondly, I doubt it will get to that. Someone will come to her rescue, they always do."

"Emma, your success rate is unbelievable. I believe if anyone can help her, it is you. Also, as a judge I have to be fair and impartial, but I also have a responsibility to give everyone their best chance. For six years you have helped a dozen people and they are all now clean, sober and leading productive lives."

"All but one." Emma mumbled.

"Emma, it is time to try again. And if you can save Regina Mills, you will know that you can save anyone. Also, I have spoken to her parents; they are willing to pay four times your standard fee."

Emma was silent as she weighed the options. "And what if I fail?"

"Then you can retire and I will consider this chapter in your life closed."

Emma sighed. "Fine, but I have a few conditions."

Archie smiled to himself. "Whatever they are, consider it done."