Chapter One: Welcome to Storybrooke

Sticking a blue, star-shaped candle atop a small, pitiful cupcake and lighting it, twenty-eight year old Emma Swan closed her eyes and made the same wish she had made every year.

I wish that I wasn't alone anymore.

She blew out the candle and barely a second later the doorbell rang. She looked up in surprised, she certainly had not been expecting anyone considering she had finished everything for work. She glanced down at the cupcake before her curiosity and confusion overcame her. Walking over to the door she tried to think of who was there.

Maybe the pizza man had gotten the wrong floor again.

When she opened the door she was surprised to see a young boy standing there. He had a mop of brown hair and hazel eyes that looked up at her when she open the door. He didn't look any older than ten, maybe eleven? He had on a backpack and was clutching a large book to his chest.

"Uh, Can I help you?" Emma asked masking her moment of surpise and looking down at the boy.

"Are you Emma Swan?" He asked.

"Yeah." Emma answered. "Who are you?"

"My name's Henry." The boy grinned and he suddenly reminded her of someone from a long time ago. "I'm your son."

She froze. Her son? The boy took advantage of her frozen shocked state pushed past her, entering her apartment.

"Whoa!" Emma blinked. "Hey, kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?"

"Ten years ago." Henry said as if those three words explained everything. "Did you give a baby up for adoption?" After a pause Henry answered for her. "That was me."

Emma was stunned. "Just...give me a minute." Emma turned and walked straight for her bathroom, taking deep breaths to compose herself. How did he find me? It was a closed adoption. He shouldnt be here. Did he know about his twin?

Her eyes widened, the twin. Was she there too? The boy had only referred to himself, he didn't mention a twin sister. So he couldn't possibly be her son, right? He would've mention two babies instead of one. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, all she could think of was how much that kid looked like him. The one man who was able to crush her and leave her pregnant and heart broken.

"Hey, you have any juice?" She heard Henry called out. "Nevermind, found some."

Taking a deep breath, Emma stepped out of the bathroom and saw Henry drinking Orange juice from the jug.

"You know, we should probably get going." Henry said as he put the jug down onto the counter and wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Going where?"

"I want you to come home with me."

Emma quirked a brow. Now this was getting ridiculous.

"Okay, kid. I'm calling the cops." Emma told him as she began walking to the phone.

"Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me." Henry said without missing a beat.

Damn, this kid really was her son.

Emma sighed, "And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother." She was definitely impressed, it was something she would have done if she had been in the kid's place, and that made her heart clench painfully.

"Yep." Henry said.

Smart kid.

"You're not going to do that." Emma said narrowing her eyes at the boy in front of her.

"Try me." Henry said.

He was lying. He really wouldn't say that she'd kidnapped him. He was a good kid. She could see that.

"You're pretty good." Emma started. "But here's the thing, there's not a lot I'm great at in life. But I have one skill, let's call it a superpower, I can tell when anyone is lying, and you, kid, are."

Henry's face fell. "Wait." He pleaded "Please, don't call the cops. Please, just come home with me."

Emma sighed. She had to get the kid home somehow. She didn't like cops anyway.

"All right, where's home?" Emma asked.

"Storybrooke, Maine."

"Storybrooke?" Emma asked. What kind of a name was that? "Seriously?"

Henry nodded

"Okay." Emma sighed. "Let's get you back to Storybrooke."

"Whats that?" Emma asked glancing at Henry who was reading reading what seemed like a storybook. They had only be driving for about an hour and they still had a while to go before they reached the mysterious storybrooke.

"I don't think your ready." Henry said not looking up from his book.

"Not ready for a couple of fairy tales?"

"These are are not just fairy tales." He started, "Everything in this book actually happened."

Okay, so he's crazy.

"Sure it did, kid."

"Use your superpower see if im lying."

"Just because you believe something doesn't make it true."

"Thats exactly what make it true, you should know more than anyone."

Emma quirked a brow. "And why is that?"

"Because your in this book." Henry responded.

She shook her head,"Oh kid, you've got problems."

"Yep, and your gonna fix 'em."

Killian Jones concentrated on his target. A lot was at stake if he didn't complete the task of beating his opponent at a game of darts.

"Just give up already, Killian." His best friend and town Sheriff, Graham said. "You've lost."

"Like hell I have." Killian replied with a snort. "I still have a shot left."

"You forget that I am undefeated."

"Not for long. Now shut it so I can win."

Just as Killian was about to take his shot at the board, Graham's phone blared out from his pocket. The sudden noise had distracted Killian, causing him to miss the board by a few feet. He turned around and glared at his opponent, "That doesn't count."

The sheriff just smirked, "Sorry Jones, maybe next time." He said and answered his phone, "This is Sheriff Graham."

From the way Graham had to pull the phone away from his ear, Killian knew exactly who had called his friend. He smirked as he saw Graham's eyes widen and say, "I'm on my way." Before hanging up and grabbing his jacket.

"Has her majesty summoned you again?" Killian asked, a smirk still etched in her features. Of he knew about his friend's dalliance with the mayor. There were the rumors that floated around town about their affair but killian knew them to be true as his friend had confided everything with him. However, Graham knew that killian did not approve of his actions due to his concern about the mayor's son, Henry.

It was well known that killian absolutely adored the boy as he had been there to watch the lad grow up ever since Regina had adopted him. Killian knew that because Henry had grown up differently then the other child, the boy didn't have any friends his own age. That's why killian had made it a duty of his to talk to the young boy whenever he looked lonely or upset. Henry most definitely considered killian as a friend and the affection was mutual. So when Graham told him Henry being missing, Killian's protective nature towards the boy came to surface.

The smirk melted off Killian's face and he grabbed his black leather jacket. Both men hurried out of Granny's Diner and towards the mayor's house.

"Henry!" A woman with short black hair exclaimed as they got out of Emma's yellow bug.

After Emma got directions from the shrink to Henry's house- which also happened to be the mayors- she had pulled up only to see a police car parked in the driveway. Two men stood next to the car and Emma could only assume that they were the police.

The women went to hug Henry, who didn't hug back. "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"

"I found my real mom." Henry said. He yanked out of her grasp and ran into the house.

Emma was met with three equally surpised faces. The women looked at her,"Y-your Henry's birth mother?"

"Hi..." she said, she inwardly grimaced at the obvious awkwardness of the situation.

One of the men spoke up next, "We'll just go, um check on Henry." Was that an Irish accent? She also noticed that he seemed quite uncomfortable. Emma didn't blame him.

The two men then walked into the house and out of sight.

Regina who had been staring at Emma, plastered on a fake smile. "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"

"Got anything stronger?" Emma asked, only slightly joking. She need something to get her through the tense awkwardness that surrounded her in the atmosphere.

Regina led Emma into her house and brought back two glasses.

"How did he find me?" Emma asked taking a seat in one of the brown leather chairs..

"No idea." Regina said also sitting down. "When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed." Her tone turned slightly colder as she continued. "I was told that the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."

"You were told right." Emma said with a short nod. Her tone was neutral as she was unwilling to give anything away.

"And the father?" Regina pried.

"There was one." Emma stated.

"Do I need to be worried about him?" Regina asked.

"No." Emma said. "He doesn't even know."

"Do I need to be worried about you Miss Swan?" Regina sounded a bit more threatening.

Instead of answering her question, Emma couldn't help but ask her own. One that had been bugging her since she had met Henry. "Do you. . .do you know what happened to the other one? The girl?"

Regina narrowed her eyes, feeling incredibly threatened now that emma didn't answer her. She shook her head, "I'm afraid not. Honestly, I felt terrible for separating them but that's just what happens in the system."

That stung.

Emma opened her mouth to respond only to be interrupted by Graham and Killian arriving downstairs.

"Madame Mayor, you can relax." The sheriff said. Killian rolled his eyes at his friend's formality towards the mayor, almost as if nothing outside of business affairs occurred between them.

"Other than being a tired little boy," Graham continued, "Henry's fine."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Regina said in a way that told Graham that he was dismissed. With a short nod, graham swiftly walked out of the mannor, though Killian stayed behind. He wanted to know more about this mysterious blonde women who had invaded their town. She definitely intrigued him and he wanted to see how she would handle the 'queen'.

"You may leave as well Mr. Jones."

Killian smiled with mock-charm as he leaned against the wall. "I'm fine, thank you though." He knew he was being bold in his actions, especially since he honestly had no right to just stand there. He wasn't the sheriff or a deputy, but he knew Regina was in a tight situation at the moment and wouldn't do anything about it.

Emma lips twitched upwards and Regina glared at the former pirate, obviously not please he hadn't listened to her. For some reason, Killian hadn't been as affected by the curse as the rest of the town. While he still had no memories of his former life, he did not fear Regina as everyone else did. He was defiant, but Regina couldn't expect less from a no good pirate, especially Captain Hook.

"I'm sorry that Henry dragged you out of your life." Regina said to Emma, turning away and deciding to ignore the man. "I really don't know what's gotten into him."

"Kid's having a rough time." Emma shrugged. "It happens."

"You have to understand." Regina continued. "Ever since I became Mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?" The way she said it implied that she thought Emma didn't have one.

But Emma wasn't going to let it get to her. "Yes, I do." She answered. "It's enough to keep me busy."

"Well then, imagine having another one." Regina said. "That's what being a single mother is. So I push for order, and am I strict? Maybe. But it is for Henry's own good. I want my son to excel in life. I don't think that that makes me evil, do you?"

Emma smiled, tight and fake as Regina's had been, "I'm sure that he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing."

"What fairy tale thing?" Regina asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh, you know, his little book." Emma said. "How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket.

Killian quirked a brow. While he had heard all about Henry's little fantasy, he was surprised he had shared his theory with his birth mother. When Henry had first shared his story with killian, the man had begun worry about the young boy. However, now after he had run away to find his birth mother, it was starting to make sense. The lad was unhappy. Regina made him unhappy. Henry believes that Emma, his birth mother, would be able to bring him that happiness that he wants so badly. Killian's heart hurt for the boy and he wished more than anything to be able to help him.

Regina felt her stomach drop, luckily she managed to cover up her panic with a look of confusion. "I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"You know what?" Emma stood. "It's none of my business. He's your kid. And I really should be heading back."

"Of course."

Regina walked Emma to the door, killian following closely behind. The second Emma was out on the porch, Regina shut the door. Emma couldn't help but glare at the door.

Killian spoke from behind her, "Yeah, Regina can be a bit of a handful."

Emma turned to look at him and was struck by just how good looking the man was. He had dark black hair and a small scruff of a beard. He eyes, however, we're probably the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She had to look away quickly before she got caught in that forboding sea of blue.

Clearing her throat, Emma sighed. "Yeah well, what can you do."

Killian chuckled, "Aye." He stuck out his hand, "The name's Killian Jones."

"Emma Swan." She replied, shaking his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Swan." He said giving her a smile that almost made her heart flutter. Key word, almost.

"You too." She said with a nod, "I should start heading out." She began walking to her car.

"Not planning on sticking around?" Killian asked, quirking a brow.

Emma paused and turned to look at the house, feeling eyes on her. Henry was looking out from his window. He was watching her, sadly. He closed the curtain and turned the light off.

She sighed, "No. No I'm not." She said and got into her car.

As she was driving, something caught her eye. Henry's story book was sitting in the passenger seat.

"Sneaky bastard."

She looked back up and saw a wolf standing in the middle of the road. She swerved to avoid hitting it, then her world went black.

Emma woke with a start. Her eyes immediately started looking at her surroundings and it didn't take her long to realize that just was in a jail cell. Memories of her time in jail flashed before her eyes but she pushed them away. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of that time in her life.

She sat up and swung her legs to the ground. There was another prisoner in the cell next to her's whistling.

"What are you lookin' at, sister?" The short balding man asked.

"Hey, Leroy! Manners." An older man, with an Italian accent scolded. He wore a gray jumpsuit which reminded Emma of a mechanic or repairman.

"We have a guest." The repairman continued. He then turned to Emma "So you are, uh, Henry's mother? How lovely for him to have you back in his life."

Emma swallowed. "Actually, I was just dropping him off."

"Don't blame ya." Leroy nodded. "They're all brats, who needs 'em."

"Well, I'd give anything to have one." Marco said wistfully. "My wife and I tried for many years, but it was not meant to be."

Emma felt sympathy for the older man but she didn't respond.

Leroy said something instead,"well cry me a river."

The sheriff walked in. Graham went over and unlocked Leroy's cell and opening the door. "All right Leroy, I'm going to let you out but you need to behave. Just put on a smile and stay out of trouble."

The grumpy man gave the sheriff and sarcastic smile before walking out of the station.

"Seriously?" Emma asked quite annoyed with the entire situation.

"Regina's drinks" he responded," little stronger than we thought."

"I wasn't drunk, the was a wolf in the road."

Graham gave her a look, obviously not believing her.

"A wolf, right." Graham said.

She opened her mouth to respond with with a snarky remark but Regina rushed in.

"Graham, Henry ran away again." She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Emma."What's she doing here?" She walked towards the cell, "Do you know where he is?"

"Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him off at your place." Emma responded dryly and glanced around her cell, "And I have a pretty good alibi."

"Well he wasn't in his room this morning." Regina said.

"You try his friends?" Emma asked.

"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner."

Emma paused, "Every kid has friends."

"Sorry to bother you with this." Emma said. She bent down to help Mary Margaret clean up the books that Regina had knocked over.

After finding out that Henry had stolen his teacher's credit card, Emma and Regina had paid the teacher a visit. when it was discovered that the teacher had no clue what had happened, the mayor had stomped out of the room.

"No it's...it's okay." Mary Margaret said. "If what I hear is true, this is partially my fault."

"How's the book supposed to help?" Emma asked.

"What do you think stories are for?" Mary Margaret smiled. "These stories are classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."

"Yeah, she's kind of a hard-ass." Emma agreed.

"No, it's more than her." Mary Margaret began softly. "He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face, why would anyone give me away?" Mary Margaret gasped, an apologetic look on her face. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."

Emma swallowed. "It's okay." It still feels bad though.

"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have." Mary Margaret stated. "Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

"You know where he is, don't you?" Emma asked looking at the teacher and crossing her arms.

"You might want to check his castle."

"You left this in my car." She told Henry handing him his book. She sat next to him on his castle as they both looked at the clock tower.

"The clock still hasn't moved." Henry said.

She quirked a brow, "Was it supposed to?" Emma asked.

"I was hoping that it would." Henry said. "I was hoping that something would change around here when I brought you back. That the final battle would begin."

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid." Emma sighed.

"Yes, you are." Henry argued. "Because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings."

"Can you cut it with the book crap." Emma said, softly but sternly.

"You don't have to be hostile." Henry said. "I know you like me, I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. I know why you gave us away. You wanted to give us our best chance."

"Us?" Emma asked.

Henry nodded, "It was on the website that I used to find you. I have a twin sister somewhere." He paused, "But its okay. I'll meet her one day."

Emma stayed silent for a few seconds before asking, "How do you know I gave you up for your best chance?"

"Because it's the same reason Snow White gave you away." Henry told her.

"Listen to me, kid. Im not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior." She sighed, shaking her head. "You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you ans your sister to have your best chance. But it's not with me. Come on, let's go." She hopped down from where they were sitting and began walking away.

"Please don't take me back there." Henry pleaded, grabbing her hand. "Just stay with me for one week. That's all I ask. One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy."

"I have to get you back to your mom." Emma said. She didn't want to hear this. She cant get attached.

"You don't know what it's like with her." Henry yelled, something in him finally snapping. "My life sucks!"

"Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway." Emma said. "My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own kid so then they sent me back." Tears pricked Emma's eyes, but he needed to realize how lucky he was. He had to realize. "Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you."

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway." Henry said. "That's just where you came through."

"What?" Emma blinked.

"The wardrobe." Henry explained. "When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

"Sure they were." Emma sighed. He was a stubborn one. "Come on, Henry."

Emma sat in her car debating about getting a room at Granny's bed and breakfast. She had dropped Henry off at the mayors house earlier and had a brief yet tense conversation with Regina. She gave Henry up to give him his best chance. Now that she sees where he is now, and after that conversation with Regina, she isn't so sure thats what he got.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her window. Emma looked up and saw the blue eyed man she had met the night before, Killian, looking down at her.

Emma got out of the car.

"Uh, hi." she said

"Hello love." he greeted with a polite smile. "So you're staying? For the boy?"

Emma looked down. "I dont know." she admitted.

"Well whatever you do, do it for Henry, he is a very special lad." He told her.

"I can see that." she sighed and shook her head, "What are you doing here?" she changed the subject and crossed her arms.

"I'm here for dinner with my Granny and my sister." Killian told her, nodding his head towards the entrance of the Bed and Breakfast.

Emma looked in the direction he was and suddenly felt a surge of determination. She began walking up the path leading to the building.

behind her, Killian quirked a brow and with a shrug, began following after her.

Emma walked up to the door of the Inn and entered. She stopped when she saw an old woman arguing with a younger one.

"I should have moved to Boston!" The girl yelled.

Next to her, Emma heard Killian sigh.

"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard." Granny snapped.

Emma stepped forward and spoke, "Excuse me? I'd like a room."

Granny turned to Emma in surprise.

"Really?" Granny said like no one asked for a room in years. "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll wave it."

"Square is fine." Emma agreed.

"Now, what's the name?" Granny asked.

"Swan." Emma said. "Emma Swan."

"Emma." A man spoke, Emma turned to look at him, slightly startled as to not noticing him when he walked in. "What a lovely name."

"Thanks." Emma said.

Granny passed the man a roll of bills.

"It's all here." Granny said.

Emma glanced over at Killian, who hadn't said a word since they'd arrived, and saw him glaring at the man.

"Yes, yes, of course it is, dear." The man smiled. A strange, twisted smile that sent shivers down Emma's spine. "Thank you. You enjoy your stay...Emma."

"Who's that?" Emma asked after thethe man had left.

"Mr. Gold." The girl who had been arguing with Granny said, "He owns this place."

"The inn?"

"No, the town." Granny said stiffly before quickly changing the subject. "So, how long will you be with us?"

Emma shot another glance at Killian, remembering what he had told her just moments ago outside. "Two weeks."

"Great." The older women smiled and handed an old fashion key over to Emma. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

Lost Memories swarmed around in his head as Mr. Gold stood on the sidewalk outside of Granny's Bed and breakfast. His life as Rumpelstiltskin flashing before his eyes.

Once he managed to gather his thoughts and organize himself, he let out a small breath of unentended relief. Finally, his plan was moving forward again. The savior, Emma, was in town and now all he needed was for her to break the curse and he would finally be reunited with his son. His Bealfire.

However, one thing he had not aticipated was the pirate. Rumpelstiltskin inwardly growled at the thought of that man being in his town. He hadn't expected Captain Hook being taken by the curse, though of course, he had never really thought about it.

Now Gold just had to make sure that the pirate stayed out of the way.

Gold was brought out of his thoughts by a sharp tick sounding from the clock tower. He look up and saw that the clock of moving.

He smirked.

Oh yes, change was coming.

August W. Booth woke up to a searing pain in his leg at 8:15 am in Thailand. He sat up and rolled up the left side of his pajama pant and looked at his leg. His eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight of his leg turning to wood. Another pain shot through his leg and he groaned, rolling off the motel bed with a loud thud. He clutched his leg, hissing in pain.

"Dad?" A young girl's voice spoke from the second bed in the motel. "Dad what's wrong?"

August was vaguely aware of his daughter climbing out of the bed and kneeling in front of him.

"Daddy?" The girl asked again, this time more panic evident in her voice as she shook his shoulder.

August gasped and took a deep breath as he began to feel the pain subside. He breathed heavily for a few moments, his eyes shut tightly. When he opened them again he saw a pair of green hazel eyes staring back at him with concern and fear.

"I'm okay, I'm fine." August said a bit breathlessly.

The girl shook her head, "No you're not. What was that? What happened?"

August sighed, he would have to tell her the truth. About everything.

He stood up, his leg felt numb but he managed to get back onto the bed.

"Naomi," He started. The girl, naomi, stood and sat next to him on the bed. "I'm gonna tell you a story."

Naomi's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, "A story, what?"

"It will explain everything." August put an emphasis on the word everything and Naomi swallowed.

"Everything?" She asked, hoping he was saying what she thought he was saying.

"Yes." August answered with a nod, "I'm gonna tell you a story about your real family. Your mom, your. . . Dad, and your brother. It's time you knew the complete and absolute truth."

Naomi stayed silent but nodded. She knew she was adopted, but she also knew that she had been given up due to extreme events. She knew august would always be her father but she also knew that there was more to the story.

August swallowed, "Once upon a time, there was a curse. An evil, dark curse, cast by an evil, ruthless queen. . ."

Yep! that's the layout for this story! Killian was taken by the curse and August adopted Henry's twin sister! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did writing it! That's a lie, this was a pain to write.