Hi everyone! So, after watching so much Heroes and reading so much OUAT fanfiction, I've been waiting so long for a "bad-ass Regina saving the world in a bad-ass way, so Storybrooke better stop their hatin' and kiss her designer heels" type of fic. But, since there wasn't any (that I know of), I made one! Haha, I promise the plot is way better than what I'd just described. By the way, you don't need to know Heroes to understand what's going on. I got y'alls backs!

Out of all the places in the world, he never would've expected to find her in such an isolated small town. Well of course, because of the purpose of his visit, the "isolated" part of her current living conditions is very much understandable. But it was something about this town that made him feel uneasy. It looked like it came straight out of a book. Cliched maybe, from the residents to even the signs of various buildings.

His eyes darted back and forth from the road to the windows of his red Rent-a-Car Ford Focus. Maybe the way people stared at him driving by was making him feel uneasy. Yeah, that was it. Is this town really that small that people can point out who is the outsider and who is the resident? His dark eyes swept over the faces he drove past, his brain making quick observations. Running a hand through his black curly hair, and making sure to keep the other hand on the wheel, a small concern of the town's lack of diversity entered his mind. He let out a chuckle as he remembered his friends back home and how the town's diversity statistics would immediately jump if he were to bring them. Somewhere in the back of his mind he hoped this "errand" will go well and that he wouldn't have to call his friends for "extra
reinforcements".

Her fist clenched involuntarily as she stared down her phone. Locked away in her home office, she grew frustrated with every passing second. She shouldn't let this bother her.

It's just a voicemail.

A voicemail from a stranger.

A stranger who claims to know her.

What she can do.

Her magic.

She growled as she mulled over the possibility of it being a prank call from those Snow White-loyal idiots. Ever since Miss Swan broke the curse, her life went from a downhill slump ever since Miss Swan drove in with that hideous yellow bug, to a multi-car pileup. It's as if all the bakesales, charities, and townhall meetings were nothing now that everyone's hung up on putting her head on a stake. Perhaps someone has gotten creative and tried to mess with her psychologically, leaving her a message claiming to know of her magic, hoping to drive her away from the town because the threat of what will happen to her once her abilities is known to outsiders is unspeakable.

She slammed her fist on her large office desk as images of past events reeled through her head. Miss Swan practically throwing her against a wall in the hospital with crazed fury in her eyes, how she confirmed everything that Henry has accused her of being as Emma Swan pathetically gaped at her. How she wanted to just break down in a miserable heap when Emma Swan accused her of murdering Archie Hopper, and then took her son away. How Snow White manipulated her and brought her mother to her death, yet again ruining her chance of happiness while Snow White is still made out to be the victim.

Her stormy eyes welled up as she wallowed in contemplation. First Daniel, now Henry. Ever since the beginning, she just wanted to survive. Daniel was her promise of survival. When he died and she discovered magic, it took away some of that pain and gave her a chance of happiness. Magic brought her into this world where she had Henry and ultimately a new life. And because of that book and Snow White and her perfect royal family, her son would rather be the Savior's son and not the Evil Queen's.

And she didn't blame him, for she was also ashamed of her misdeeds in her past. She hated herself for letting her pain and grief control her. Her own son is terrified of her. It kills her to know that. And she also knows that Daniel would be absolutely disgusted at the woman she is now.

After repeating the voicemail message for the umpteenth time and the aspirin has finally taken affect, she catches a name. Her hands glide on the keyboard and immediately a man of Indian descent appears on her screen. The title of the book "Activating Evolution" appears in the search engine in bold letters. Clicking on the link, she leans forward in her seat absolutely fascinated at what she reads.

Looking back and forth between the paper clutched in his hand and the stately white mansion before him, he raised one dark eyebrow. After shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he grabbed the manila folder on the passenger side of the car and made his way to the front door. He rang the doorbell once and glanced over the file while waiting.

The door opened, not completely but just enough for him to see the woman behind the door. She was professionally dressed in a navy blue pantsuit, had dark styled hair a bit past her chin, red lipstick and dark eye makeup, and her height was still average despite the black heels she wore that looked too high to walk in. He inwardly nodded, recognizing her from the photo in the folder he's holding.

"Hello Regina Mills. My name is Dr. Mohinder Suresh."

Regina immediately noticed the man in front of her to be the same man she had researched just a few minutes ago. Trying to not let her surprise show, she pushes herself off the door frame and straightens up, not sparing a glance at his outstretched hand.

"Dr. Suresh, what a surprise. Welcome to Storybrooke," she made sure to display her mayoral smile and slow down her quickening heart rate.

"Ms. Mills, I don't mean to bother you but this is an urgent matter. I take it that you've listened to my voicemail?"

"Yes I did receive your voicemail. However, I'm afraid I don't quite understand what this is all about, Dr. Suresh. Honestly, I think you're mistakened about who I am and this whole matter," Regina lets out a polite chuckle and resists the urge to snap at the man to just drop the whole thing.

Mohinder clasps his hands together in a begging motion putting urgency in his tone, "Please Mayor Mills, may I have just a moment of your time to explain everything. I promise, everything will be made clear in a few minutes. If I could just explain..."

Regina stared him down and could sense the desperation dripping off of him. Part of her is curious about what this man has to say. Another part of her distrusts this stranger and his motives. But she remembers that she would do anything to have the chance to explain herself to Henry, so she will let this man into her home to explain whatever he needs to to her.

"Please, come in Dr. Suresh," she opens the door wider and motions him in with a small smile.

Mohinder took a seat in her living room looking around at the décor. Admiring the beauty of the house, he notices just how equally regal the interior looks as does the exterior. He suddenly worries that it would be difficult to convince the sophisticated woman in front of him of his mission and her part in it. Would she laugh at his absurdity, scoff at him, or suddenly feel threatened and tell him to leave her house and town, or worse, use her abil-

"Would you like something to drink?"

"A glass of water would be fine, thank you."

"Of course."

Whatever happens, at least he's done his duty in coming here to Storybrooke and informing Regina Mills. Worst case scenario, she rejects everything told to her and continues her life ignorant of what is happening.

Regina comes back in the living room and hands Mohinder a cold glass of water, then sits on an armchair in front of him. She straightens up and clasps her hands in her lap, an eyebrow raised as if challenging him to say something ridiculous.

"Have you ever done something, something strange, something extraordinary, that you can't explain how you did it? Are you afraid that if you do tell someone, then they will think that you're crazy and possibly mental?"

Regina's face remains impassive as if his statement didn't faze her at all.

"My father, Chandra Suresh, conducted research on these phenomenons. He wrote a book called Activating Evolution discussing theories about humans with genetic abilities. These abilities are absolutely extraordinary, it's unfathomable. There's rapid tissue regeneration, teleportation─"

"─telekinesis, enhanced strength, precognition..." Regina nods and holds their eye contact, not wavering once as her mind races through the information from the brief research she'd done.

"Yes, and so much more. I've discovered files, even video interviews of these humans with abilities dating back to the 1960s," Mohinder pauses with dark eyes twinkling of amazement, "They exist, Mayor Mills. We're living amongst the most talented humans on the face of the Earth. Superhumans."

Regina lightly shook her head, "let's speak like reasonable adults here, Dr. Suresh. What you're describing sounds like something from my son's comic books! While the excitement of superheroes sounds..." She let a smirk grace her face, "...appealing, I refuse to believe in a real-life Superman. Besides, what does any of this have to do with me? If you think you can enter my home and convince me to support your laughable cause in superhuman abilities, well dear you are very wrong."

"B-but! Wait─"

She stood up and sneered, "Don't waste my time. Good day, doctor. Do close the door on your way out."

"There was a flaw in the research!"

The doctor's bellowed outburst made Regina jump. Unable to keep her composure, her eyes went wide as saucers at his blatant loudness.

Lowering his voice, Mohinder approached her cautiously, "My father believed the abilities to have originated in the blood. I continued my father's research after his passing and found his theory incorrect. Isolating the precise genetic sequences that exist within people with abilities, I've discovered that, in fact, they are actually produced from the adrenal glands." Mohinder laughed to himself and shook his head, "the superhuman gene is activated in the adrenal glands!"

Seeing Regina scrunching her eyebrows together in confusion, and possibly annoyance, he continued quickly, "I came to you because you're one of them. You have abilities. And before you try to deny my claim, think deeply about what I'm about to ask you. Was there a moment when you felt stressed, either positively or negatively stressed, and then something unexplainable happened? Something that would be impossible to explain unless you had...abilities? The stress acts as an initiator for the superhuman gene, allowing the adrenal glands to activate the dormant gene. The end result tends to be spontaneous; the ability may appear randomly in full blast, like...an explosion."

Frozen in place, Regina involuntarily clenched her fists turning her knuckles white. Finally, she stepped closer to the doctor until their toes touched.

A moment of stress...

Something unexplainable...

Impossible...

The words beat on in her head as she remembered. Memories of a young, distraught Regina accidentally pushing her mother into a looking glass played before her eyes. She felt red hot angry heat rushing up her skin as memories of flames spontaneously bursting out of her palms entered her mind, reliving the pure panic she felt the first time it happened. Her mind hummed painfully as she remembered the ugly noise of glass breaking just as her mind, emotions, and being broke too. These situations were absolutely frightening to her as a young girl, but as the situations become more frequent, she learned that she liked feeling the adrenaline coursing through her. It felt filling. It felt alive.

Her next words were low and throaty, full of venom from the bitterness her memories gave her, "What do you want from me?"

Mouth set in a thin line, Mohinder stared into the dark storm the mayor's eyes displayed. He realized he hit a nerve. Swallowing, he steeled himself to get to business and fill the woman in on everything. He's done this many times before, so he doesn't know why he's nervous all of a sudden. But nerves and anxiety aside, he needs to get Regina on his side. So much is on the line.

The ringing of the doorbell reverberated throughout the mayor's spacious home, interrupting Mohinder before he even got started.

Act fast! Quickly, before she kicks you out of her home.

Mohinder rummaged through his worn leather satchel, pulling out a small, torn piece of paper and pen. He scribbled something down before handing it to Regina.

"I'll be staying at Granny's Bed and Breakfast. Here's my phone number. Give me a call and meet me as soon as possible. We need to speak about a serious and urgent matter. Your part is crucial in all of this."

He stared hard at her hoping she understands the seriousness of what he just said and gave a brief nod goodbye before heading out her door, Regina trailing behind him. For once, she does not know what to say.

Opening the door, Mohinder sees a blonde woman clad in a maroon leather jacket. He turns back around to Regina offering a handshake, "Thank you again for your time, Mayor Mills."

Finding her voice, Regina forces a smile and shakes his hand, "Of course."

Ignoring the blonde nuisance in front of her doorway, Regina stares at Mohinder's retreating back with an unreadable face. Seeing the blonde enter her house through her peripherals, Regina spun back around and stormed in, making sure to slam the door.

"Miss Swan, I never gave you permission to enter my home. I suggest you leave before I charge you with trespassing.

"Well I suggest you back off. I'm here to pick up the rest of Henry's things. And who was that guy anyway?"

"Whom I see in my home is none of your business,"

Regina pauses after fully comprehending what Emma had said, "Why are you taking Henry's things? He's still staying with me on weekends." She made sure that last sentence was a statement, not a question.

"Not anymore. Henry will be staying only at my place from now on. I'm taking full custody of him."

"Full custody?"

Regina went up to Emma so quickly her head spun.

"How many times do I have to say it to your thick skull? He is my son. Henry may have not came from my womb, but I raised him. He's my son. You have no right to pry him away from me and into the Royal Idiots' vomit-inducing abode!"

Emma rolled her eyes and walked away from a fuming Regina. Walking up the stairs, she tries to zone out Regina's rant that she's heard one too many times.

"Quit being a pain in my ass and listen to me when I'm talking to you, Miss Swan! What in God's name gave you the ridiculous idea that you could take me away from my son. I took him in my life and called him my son because you gave him away. I fed him, clothed him, changed his diapers, bandaged his scraped knees, read bedtime stories to him, Miss Swan I raised him!"

Regina took in a shuddering breath as she glared all her might into Miss Swan's frozen form at the stairs.

"I won't let you take him away from me. I'll fight for him with everything I have, Miss Swan," Regina yelled and shivers ran up her own spine, "if it's the last thing I do!"

"Henry wanted this!" Emma turned around and looked at Regina with wide, wet eyes that shone green with distress. She wanted this to be a quick and painless errand. She should've known it would be anything but. Emma has been delaying this for the longest time, not wanting to add on to Regina's heaping stress in her life. Henry has told her that he wanted to stay with her, not his adoptive mother, and she's tried to persuade him to give Regina a chance. But her son is afraid of staying with Regina, often telling Emma of nightmares he's been having every time he sleeps in her house. How he pretends to sleep and pretends to smile in the mornings. How he's sick of pretending. How he wants the safety and warmth of the White household. Emma never wanted Regina to know. But she can't take any more of Regina fighting for the forged love of a son who wouldn't consider her as his mother.

"I'm sorry Regina."