A/N So, I was inspired by a post on tumblr - "How about a complete AU, hmmm? ;) Regina is a street artist living in the moment and not caring about her future… Than she meet Emma - girl from a good home - and everything changes…:P"

And I decided to write the AU fanfic for it. Fresh onto this site so I might make a ton of mistakes trying to post and such, but if people like this I'll carry on with it. (also fresh onto tumblr if anyone wants to add me I'm solo-insignificance over there)

A pair of scuffed converse sneakers splashed through a slowly drying puddle without care. Thick baggy denim darkened as it soaked up the excess water, unnoticed by the wearer who adjusted the backpack slung over one shoulder. It thumped lightly with each hurried step. The softest of clangs echoed within, muffled by the ear buds being enthusiastically pushed into place so that music could drown out the hustle and bustle of noise that screamed through the city. The street felt littered with people, but the figure bowed it's head, face hidden by the shadow cast from the hood it pulled up. Hands were stuffed into pockets and they continued on, side-stepping strangers until they found the alley they'd been looking for. Daylight had dimmed but it would last for another hour. More than enough time to finish what had been started the day before. With a quick look to make sure nobody had followed, the figure pulled up the bandana tied loosely around their neck and covered the majority of their face. Only their eyes were on display as the back pack got shrugged off to land at their feet with a thump. Hungry fingers delved inside to pull out several cans. Five in total were lined up as the figure stepped back to glance at the wall. The back of some fancy café or something. The kind of place money flocked towards. After a moment of thought a can was selected and shook for a few seconds, the click clack of the ball bearing inside rattled then stilled as the figure pressed down on the nozzle. Blood red sprayed in a controlled arc.

"So are we going to talk about the way Neal couldn't keep his eyes off you today or are we pretending to be blind again?"

Emma released a heavy sigh and pushed a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear. She narrowed her eyes at Ruby and the girl just grinned wolfishly back. The brunette had been her friend since preschool. Ever since some kid had taken Ruby's crayon and she'd snatched it back for her to stop the girl from crying, but honestly, sometimes Emma really wanted to hit her. Like right now. She settled instead for stealing the blueberry muffin her friend had just bought and slumped back in her chair, ignoring the indignant look shot her way. "No?" Emma huffed out a breath, "I get it okay, yeah he's cute and whatever but…"

Ruby quirked an eyebrow and scoffed, "But nothing, that boy has you in his sights, everyone knows it."

"So?" Emma frowned, her fingers tapped restlessly against her mug of cocoa before she raised it to her lips to take a gulp of the sweet, scalding liquid. It burned at least half of her taste-buds off but she grimaced for entirely different reasons.

"So when are you taking him for a test drive?" Ruby said with a roll of her eyes, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We graduate in like, four months, it's now or never unless he ends up at the same college as you."

The smile Emma tried to flash her friend turned out to be a cringe that she then attempted to hide behind her mug. "Mmh, tempting." She murmured around the porcelain, and took another sip of her drink. Cream stuck to her upper lip and she wiped it off absently. "I don't know, I guess I don't feel the rush to date. I mean you said it yourself, we're done with school soon and one summer does not a relationship make. Not if it's just for the sake of being in one that you know isn't going to last because of going off to college."

A moment of silence lingered between them until Ruby all but shouted, "Who said anything about a relationship? Emma! You're seriously going to head off to college without at least fooling around with him?"

Emma slunk down in her seat and avoided the eyes of those who glanced towards them with interest. "Shut up, Ruby!" The blonde hissed, clearly uncomfortable. If she could have made herself any smaller she'd have crawled into her bag. "And stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" Inquired her friend, not nearly as innocently as she'd hoped.

"Like…" Emma could feel the heat of the blush as it crawled up her neck to taint her cheeks. "Like I'm wrong or something for not jumping on Neal like a starving animal."

With a tilt of her head, Ruby studied the blonde and shrugged lightly. "I don't think you're wrong. I just don't understand why you'd pass up the opportunity to have a little fun."

"Fun." The word fell flat from her lips as Emma shook her head and shifted in her seat. "So now I'm boring?"

"Hey no, I didn't say that." Ruby's amusement dissipated as she reached across the table to clasp her friends hand.

Emma dodged the contact by grabbing the muffin up in her right hand while her left clutched the strap of her bag. "Whatever, I need to get home anyway. I'll see you tomorrow."

Ruby's big brown eyes followed her as she stood up. When she spoke it was barely more than a whisper. "Are you mad at me?"

Shoulders slumped as Emma turned to face the brunette. On some level she understood there had been a spike of anger at Ruby's friendly inquisition but in truth she couldn't pinpoint why it had bothered her so much. Maybe she was over-reacting but she'd rather talk about their art project that was due in two weeks, than talk about Neal. Sure he was attractive, in that sort of scruffy, facial hair way and yeah, he always smiled at her but that didn't mean she had to sleep with him. "No…" She finally sighed out.

"I really didn't mean anything by it, it's just…" Ruby's expression looked pained as she turned to brush her hand against her friend's arm lightly. "You've never had a boyfriend, and you've always been there for me through mine, I don't want you to miss out, that's all."

Emma blinked. Swallowed back the rising, unwarranted panic, that felt a hell of a lot like bile and forced herself to smile. Of all the looks Ruby Lucas had ever given her over the years, pity had never been one of them. Things apparently changed, faster than Emma could stand it. "I get it, but I really have to go. I'll see you at school, okay?" She didn't wait around for the answer as she walked off towards the bathrooms, which she avoided entirely, and slipped out of the back exit quietly, despite knowing it wasn't really meant to be used by customers. The cool breeze felt wonderful against her heated skin but the crisp, clean, air she'd been expecting was heavily tainted with paint fumes.

With a scowl she wiped at her nose as if that could take away the smell. Of course it didn't but she did catch sight of the culprit and let out an annoyed, "Seriously? You realise graffiti is illegal, right?" When she was met with silence Emma felt her earlier anger flourish. Several quick steps brought her next to the hooded figure and she grabbed their bicep before they had the chance to spray anything else. "Dude, I'm talking to you!"

The figure staggered back, then turned to glare at the intrusion. Paint can clutched tightly in one hand like a weapon while the other hand lifted so fingers could pull an ear bud out in frustration. "What the hell?" Came the haughty response through bandana, albeit slightly muffled, "You need something or are you just getting in my face for the thrill of it?"

Emma missed the way those dark eyes took her in from head to toe because she was too busy waving her hand towards the freshly finished painting. "This, what you're doing, is illegal. Graffiti isn't art, it's vandalism and this is…" The blonde finally turned to look at the wall, a slight gasp of breath being sucked in as she blinked. A woman wearing a dark smirk, dressed in an elaborate, black and purple gown clutched a knife in her right hand that dripped thickly with blood. The woman on her knees before her had a gaping hole within her chest, but the cause of imminent death appeared to be the gash across her throat which sprayed crimson. Her eyes wide open in despair as she gazed up at the dark woman that stole her life in such a brutal manner. Emma felt a twisted sense of intrigue and horror at the scene depicted and returned her wide, green eyes to the artist who'd brought it to life.

"Why, because it's not strung up in some gallery where only a handful of people can gawk at it and murmur how life altering it truly is like those haystacks worth a fortune? Art is art, no more no less, and fixing a price tag to it doesn't change anything. It just makes you pretentious." Said the hooded figure, dark eyes glaring at the blonde as if it showed defiance.

Whatever response Emma had been expecting it really hadn't been that, so when her mouth opened and no words escaped she blinked and took a moment. Rather than admit the person had a valid point she huffed out a breath and fired back with, "Yeah well, you're still defacing other people's property and that's just selfish and wrong."

The hooded figure cocked their head and shrugged lightly. When they spoke it was almost light, though still muffled by the fabric that covered their mouth and nose. "You ever eat a burger from those big chain fast food places, or do you dine solely on twelve dollar muffins?"

"Yeah, sometimes." The blonde admitted warily, then more aggravated, "It didn't cost twelve dollars! It cost eight." As if that really made any difference when she'd taken it from Ruby, but still, she wasn't about to let some street thug belittle her over the cost of a stupid muffin.

The figure scoffed. Eight dollars for a muffin. Two dollars would buy a box that would make ten. "Ah, then you'll know that Brazil is one of the worlds leading exporters of beef. Since the beef raised there is then sold to fast food restaurants here in the States and in Europe, well I guess that means you're contributing to the deforestation of the rainforest. How selfish and wrong of you."

Emma felt her jaw drop before she could stop it. "I… That's…" Barely a second later and she was shouting back, "That's not even relevant! How dare you stand there and lecture me on what I choose to eat? I'm not out there chopping down trees and setting fires!"

"Did I strike a nerve?" Despite the bandana covering their mouth it was obvious in tone that the figure wore a smile beneath the fabric. Though the amusement was stuffed down and replaced with a snarl as the person stepped forward, brandishing the can of spray paint like it were a grenade. "The point, princess, is that you're not better than me. We all do things that affect other people, however unintentional our actions might be, however good our intentions are, so you have no right to stand there and judge me for expressing myself when all it'll take to cover up the damage of my art is a bucket of paint that can be bought with the cost of your damn muffin."

The figure rolled their eyes and turned to spray three quick letters at the bottom of the painting. A signature that had been claimed as an alter-ego of sorts. Then, methodically, each can was capped with care. No sense in hanging about with an audience.

"What does T.E.Q. mean?" The question was out before Emma could contain it, head tilting as if that could help her comprehend. "Is that like, you're initials or something?"

Dark eyes gave the blonde a look that said how stupid they considered the question and yet managed to bite out a quick, "That's ridiculous. Why would I plaster my own initials over a wall? That's practically an invitation for the police."

"I,.. I don't know, I just thought…" Emma faltered, tearing her gaze away from the hunched over person to stare at the disturbing art that clung to the wall.

"It's my tag." Came the sighed out response as they sized up the tall blonde.

"Oh." Emma looked towards them and took a moment to chew on the inside of her lip. It would be stupid to ask but her curiosity had to be sated now that it had been piqued, So, as casually as she could managed, she stepped closer to ask, "What does it stand for?"

The figure had begun to pull out the contents of their bag to find find an apple that got stuffed into the pocket of their hoody. "None of your business." It was clipped and vaguely hostile as the figure abandoned re-packing their bag to glare at the blonde. "You'd probably run off to the owner with it anyway."

"I would not!" Although, in hindsight, shouting about graffiti being illegal probably hadn't been the best way to strike up a conversation but if Emma were honest with herself she truly hadn't expected any kind of conversation. At least, not a rational back and forth, beyond being cursed at and told to back off. This was… This was surprisingly different, and whether she liked it or not, she was entirely intrigued. Deciding to change tactics as the hooded figure went back to packing up she added, "I'll give you my muffin if you tell me. It's tasty, honest."

A can of spray paint found itself slipping from fingers that fumbled to hurriedly grasp it before the thing clattered to the ground. Evidently the innuendo of that sentence was lost on the blonde who simply smiled, and was reward with a scowl as dark eyebrows lowered over narrowed eyes. "Not. Interested." The person all but bit out. Perhaps too vehemently.

Emma frowned, then motioned towards the gaping hole through the kneeling woman's chest. It felt eerily devoid without any hint of the organ shown. "At least tell me why she has no heart, I mean where is it if not in her chest?"

The figure paused from repacking their bag to stand up and admire their work. For a long moment silence hung heavy between them, and then finally the figure tilted their head towards Emma but kept their gaze on the wall. "I ask myself that same question every day. I still don't have an answer."

Confusion twisted Emma's features as she turned to face them, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Was the only answer given as a couple of workers pushed open the back exit to take their break. The sudden flux of movement caused the hooded figure to grab at their things, rushing to stuff them into their bag before literally sprinting in the opposite direction without a backwards glance.

Emma could do nothing but watch as the person vanished out of the alley, and as she turned to do the same, the corner of a book caught her attention. Pale fingers scooped it up and she flicked through it, noting that every thick page was covered by drawings and doodles. Some eerily similar to the one stuck to the wall. "Huh." She said to herself, flicking to the back where a simple note was written. Property of R. M. If found please deliver to the following address… Without thought she tucked the book under her arm and slipped her cell phone out of her back pocket to take a picture of the wall. She wasn't sure why, but Emma set it as her new wallpaper.

Half an hour later and Emma was driving down a street that had rows of large, extravagant houses on either side. The notion that the area would be run down had flittered through her mind on and off, so much so, that she had almost talked herself out of finding the location of the mysterious graffiti artist. However, since she'd taken her time to look through the book in the comfort of her car she'd discovered several pictures in particular that had made her pause. They had all involved her school logo, and used the colours to form a rather brazen outfit for the girls who had been sketched in rather risqué poses. Apparently short skirts, straining blouses complete with ties, were in fashion. Or at least took up enough mental space to spill over five pages. With the knowledge that the guy must attend her school, how could she not track him down? Now that her mind was firmly made up, Emma slowed down outside the address and parked her car.

Only once she'd strode up to the door and knocked did it occur to her that she had no idea what his name was. A startling realisation as the door swung open to reveal an elder brunette woman dressed in a power suit. When she smiled in such a calculated and cold manner, Emma had to fight the urge to shrink in size. Instead she wiped her hands down her designer jeans and flashed a smile of her own. "Hi… I'm sorry to bother you but I attend school with uh, your-"

The woman's smile remained in place but Emma caught the glint in her eyes as she held up a hand to cease her talking. "I see, and what kind of trouble has taken place this time?"

Emma shivered. The kind that left unpleasant goosebumps across her skin. The kind usually reserved for watching horror movies with her friends. "Oh, no trouble, I was just returning a-"

The sound of feet within the house caused the elder woman to turn abruptly, a sickly sweet request of, "Regina darling, come here a moment." Was given, and despite the gentle tone, Emma would have sworn it felt threatening.

Less than a second later and Emma heard a quiet,"Yes Co-Mother?"

The blonde frowned, whatever the girl had been about to say she'd corrected far too quickly for her to know, but the way the woman at the door narrowed her eyes, she obviously did. When the door was pushed open further to make way for a short haired brunette girl nervously covering her mouth, Emma thought maybe she'd gotten the wrong house after all. Until those dark eyes locked with hers and widened imperceptibly, a flash of recognition, and then panic.

Girl. Emma's mind announced in bold neon letters. The graffiti artist is a girl. The blonde wasn't entirely sure if she was more shocked or relieved by this discovery and she cleared her throat as the sketches she'd studied flashed through her mind. She'd drawn them, those girls… That one, bending over a desk… "I…" Emma began, only to shake her head with a bemused grin.

Pleading eyes turned to the only adult and the brunette whispered, "M-mother this is-"

Then she saw it. Vivid, red and angry, a small slash across the girl's top lip on the right side. The wound still fresh, no longer bleeding as the blood had coagulated to seal the gash. "I'm Emma." Blurted Emma quickly. "I go to school with Regina and she left her book behind. I was just stopping by to return it."

"Your book?" The question was aimed at the younger brunette who looked like she might make a break for it at any second. Then those cold eyes pinned Emma to the ground as the woman asked her with a smile, "Which book would that be, dear?"

Emma didn't have many options to work with as she opened her bag to rummage through it. She did know, like a terrible sixth sense, that handing over the sketch book would somehow be disastrous. When her fingers pulled out her own library book it was with a triumphant, "This one." Emma saw the relief wash across the brunette's face as she thrust the book into her hands.

Unfortunately even that had been the lesser of two evils as the elder woman released a disappointed sigh on reading the cover. "Fairy Tales, Regina? Is it too much to ask that you read something with any semblance of substance? Even The Grimm versions would be a step up from that trash."

Maybe it was seeing the way Regina tensed with the same fire in her eyes as earlier when she'd spoke of art being art, or maybe it was because it was her own book being deemed unworthy, but Emma bristled visibly. "Yeah they are childish, but it's for a school project, nothing we can do about it except read them."

"I see. Well, I best check on dinner." The elder turned to smile that same cold smile and added lightly, "Thank the girl Regina, then set the table."

Neither of them spoke until the footsteps could no longer be heard. Only then did Regina turn to scowl at the blonde who had shown up unannounced on her doorstep. "What the hell are you doing here, did you follow me?"

"What, no!" Emma whispered back in annoyance. "You left your sketch book when you took off, it has your address on it so I figured I'd drop it off."

Regina stepped outside and closed the door over gently so that their voices wouldn't carry. "Why? Why would you do that? And why do you have a book of Fairy Tales, you're not a child!"

"It's for an art project you… You ass!" Emma hissed as she stepped closer, "And I was trying to do you a favor, unless you want her to see all the things you draw, because I can hand it over right now if you want." True, or rather, half true, considering a major motivation for showing up had been sheer curiosity to see who had drawn all that stuff. Really, given some of the content, was it any wonder her mind had supplied a male gender? That didn't quite explain the rush at discovering she'd been wrong, though.

Dark eyes narrowed as Regina stared back at forest green. The blonde was only a few inches taller but the problem as she drew closer wasn't her height. It was that she smelled like spring flowers and sunshine and it was horribly distracting. She wanted to push her away, gain some space, but instead Regina found herself leaning towards Emma to growl out, "Don't push me, princess. You have noidea what I'm capable of."

"Oh I can guess. Nice uniforms you created by the way, looks like we go to the same school." Emma flashed a toothy grin as shock ran through the brunette. Whether from the fact that they went to school together or that she'd browsed the collection of art was beyond her. "All very detailed. Couldn't help but notice you neglected to included the male range."

Regina's nostrils flared with anger, lips parted in a sneer that turned vaguely into a grin, "Are you threatening me with something or is that your way of saying you liked what you saw?" The brunette straightened up to her full height and flexed her fingers. If it were a threat of some kind she'd dedicate herself to destroying the blonde, regardless of how long it took.

Emma faltered as she watched those full lips part and curve into the briefest hint of a smile. The girl was like a complete contrast to herself. Dark and filled with rage where Emma was light and filled with joy. Pale skin to tantalizing olive. Then something inside her mind clicked into place, and all pretense of the argument dissolved as the blonde blinked back at the girl. "I'll answer your question if you answer mine."

"You didn't ask anything." Snapped Regina impatiently, with a nervous glance back towards the closed door.

"I would have if you'd let me finish!" Emma forced herself to take a deep, calming, breath and wondered how the girl could annoy her so damn much when she'd only just learned her name. "Back in the alley, what you said, about asking yourself that every day…" Emma paused to nervously lick her lips. "You were talking about your mother, weren't you?"

Regina's face darkened. When she spoke it was so low Emma had to lean closer just to hear it. "Cora is not my mother."

Emma frowned, utterly confused, because she'd heard her say it twice. "So why would you call her that?"

"Because she requests it. This is my foster home. But to answer your question, yes." Regina's expression went from anger, to hurt, to emotionless in a matter of seconds. Then she blinked and gazed right into forest green to ask, "Happy now?"

"No, that's really crap! I mean…" Emma cringed, then took a moment to chew on her lower lip while her mind absorbed the information. "Thanks for answering but hell… She seems like a real piece of work, you know?"

"Oh, I know." Regina murmured, self consciously using the tip of her tongue to trace the fresh cut above her lip. Then she shook her head and quirked a dark eyebrow. "Your turn." She smirked. "Did you like the uniforms or was it simply the girls who wore them?"

"Please, they're drawings, I'm hardly going to lust after cartoons." Emma scoffed, arms lifting to wrap around herself as she rolled her eyes and fought a blush. Though she maintained her ground within Regina's personal space. Her elbows almost grazed the girls arms. "I will admit that the uniforms were kind of cool, but I did expect the artist to be, well a guy, because of them. No offense or anything."

Regina took in a slow breath as she watched Emma. The slightest tilt of her head was given as she smirked. "None taken." She said somewhat flippantly before raising one hand to drag her fingers along the collar of her shirt. All the while watching as Emma's eyes followed the movement. "But you do lust, don't you? So that's why you smiled when you saw me at the door." At first Regina had thought it was some sort of power play, that the blonde was about to announce what she'd done earlier or perhaps just use the information later, but then she'd surprised her by covering entirely. "Give me your phone." She demanded quietly.

"I… I…" Emma could do nothing but blink and stutter as Regina picked up on something her friends seemed so clueless about. Had she been caught looking or was the brunette just perceptive? "What?" She snapped out of it, cheeks burning as she avoided the dark eyes gazing intently at her. "I'm not giving you my cell, I barely know you."

Regina let out a huff of breath and closed the distance between them. Her body molded warmly against Emma's and the brunette reached around to slip her hand into the girl's back pocket and stepped back with her cell phone clutched lightly between her fingers.

Startled, Emma had froze while her heartbeat raced at the sudden contact, and let out an undignified whimper when that warm hand had ventured inside the denim. She found her voice the moment Regina had granted them some space and exhaled a shaky, "H-how did you know it was in my back pocket?"

Regina smirked at seeing her art as the girls wallpaper but didn't comment. Though she did pause in her typing to quirk an eyebrow at the blonde. "Lucky guess. Your jeans are so tight I could see nothing was in the front pockets, that only left the back ones."

"Oh. Well…" Emma swallowed thickly and shrugged, apparently at a loss for words as she mutely accepted her phone back with a confused frown.

"I added my number. Text me later so we can work out when to swap books back at school. I'd love to stay and chat but I have a table to set and you probably have another girl to stalk." With that said, Regina flashed a wicked grin and slipped back inside the house.

Emma stood there a moment longer before pivoting and marching back to her car. By the time she'd gotten inside she'd already sent Regina a message. I do not stalk people!

An hour later when she was about to step into the shower her phone buzzed and she scowled down at the message. Said the girl who showed up on my doorstep without even knowing my name.

Emma groaned in frustration and quickly typed back, Shut up, you requested at the back if the book were found to deliver it to that address. Can't talk, stepping into the shower. Text you later about meeting at school.

Before her toes were even wet her phone buzzed again. Three words flashed on the screen, taunting her enough to throw the damn device onto her bed in anger. Make me, princess.