Last Chance

A/N: The update for Self Defence will have to wait a bit longer than I expected, for I will be going to England on holiday tomorrow. In the mean time I have some other stories running, so here's a little tease to one of my ideas to tie you over. I really hope you enjoy it!

Thanks once again to my wonderful beta, and Lea for being my muse. Mwah!

Disclaimer: not mine.

Prologue

Regina had the perfect life.

She and Daniel had run away. They had escaped her mother's wrath, and Regina's marriage to the old and lonely king.

She had exchanged a wealthy life as queen for a poor one with her one true love.

After a month of wandering about, living off the little food and money they had brought along, and later even resorting to stealing—she had started wondering if she had made the right decision leaving her parents' mansion—they had settled down in a small village, where he had gotten an honest job at a local pub. It didn't pay much, and Regina certainly hadn't been able to afford the kind of clothes she wore before, but they got by; and that—along with their love—was more than enough for Regina.

They had decided to lay low in the village. They had no idea how Cora or King Leopold would react to Regina's sudden departure. Maybe they would be looking for her, out of concern, or maybe for treason against the king; she had no idea. She did know her mother, however, and she knew what Cora was capable of, even when it involved her own daughter. So, she and Daniel didn't interact much with the people around them, apart from when Daniel was working. The result was that they didn't know many people. They only had each other, which was fine with Regina. Apart from Daniel, she had never had friends anyway. She was used to it.

Eventually, they had gotten married and soon a baby boy had been added to their little family. They had called him Henry, after her father; the only person she hadn't wanted to leave behind, but she'd had no choice in the matter. Escaping her mother, and the plans her mother had for her life, also meant escaping her father; a fact she cried over for many moons in Daniel's arms.

When Henry was three years old, they found out another baby was on the way.

Regina was blissfully happy.

But, that was four months ago now. Daniel had suddenly befallen ill. She had let a doctor come, but he had no idea what was wrong with Daniel. He made Daniel as comfortable as possible in his own bed, told Regina to keep him hydrated, but there was nothing he could do except pray. Daniel was at God's mercy, he had told her. She had asked around for other doctors and someone had told her about a doctor that possessed magic. She had let him come too, but Regina knew magic, and soon realised he was a charlatan.

Out a lot of money, with a very sick husband at home, Regina couldn't do anything but stay by his side. It hadn't even lasted two weeks after illness had taken him before he passed away, leaving her widowed at the age of twenty-four, and her children fatherless.

Now, however, she had another problem. With a toddler, herself and her unborn baby to feed, she had run out of their savings way faster than she expected, with no chance of anyone hiring a pregnant woman in her seventh month.

She had to do something. She had to do something fast. She couldn't let her children starve, and her beautiful Henry already looked thinner and paler than ever. She needed help, and fast.

She considered stealing again, even though she hated doing that to other people, but she knew she couldn't pull it off again. For one, she didn't have her thieving partner with her anymore, and second, well, running wasn't as easy carrying so much weight in you belly. She couldn't afford getting caught. Besides, who would take care of Henry while she was 'working'?

Her sweet father would help her—of course he would—but that wouldn't go unnoticed by her mother, and Cora would definitely not let Regina grovel back, no matter that Cora's grandchildren were starving.

No, she had to find help elsewhere. She could only think of one person, and she hoped to God she still recognised Regina, and remembered what Regina had done for her when she was just a young girl of twelve.

There was only one person who could help her now.

Packing a bag with a few belongings from her and Henry, she left her small cottage, Henry in one hand clutching his miniature stuffed horsey to his chest, the cape she wore when she fled Cora around her shoulders, now a lot dirtier and some holes in the bottom, her bag in her other hand—tearfully looking behind her one last time as memories of Daniel hit her—on her way to go find her last chance.

Snow White.

A/N: I know, very short, but just to give you an idea of where I'm going with this. This will eventually be OQ.

I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review if you have the time. Thank you!