CHAPTER 1

"Come find us Emma." A woman with long black hair yelled from behind the blue smoke. "You are our only hope!" I ran towards her but as I ran the road got longer and made it impossible for me to reach the woman. I mirrored her and stretched out my arm; our fingers almost touched; but when I finally get close enough there is a bright white light consuming everything.

I nearly jumped out of my bed when the alarm beeped. Lazily I reached over and turned it off. I looked behind me and realized Josh isn't in bed. Slowly I got out of the comfy cloud and walked to the bathroom. I could faintly hear Josh talking inside. I leaned a bit closer to the door. "Yeah I know babe; I'll just make something up. I promise I will see you tonight" There was a long pause. "Of course I love you more; Emma means nothing to me." I staggered back a few steps; shocked at his words. After four years together I mean nothing to him; what an ass. I felt the tears build up but blinked it away. I will not cry because of him; he is not worth my tears. After taking a deep semi-relaxing breath I causally walked to our; I mean his closet and started to pack my clothes. "Honey what are you doing?" Josh asked after coming out of the bathroom. I ignored him and focused on the task at hand. Josh pulled on my arm; much harder than necessary. "Hay I'm talking to you." I looked up at his disgustingly handsome face; into those blue eyes that stole my hart four long years ago. "Why don't you ask 'babe' where I'm going?" Josh clenched his jaw and sighed. "I was going to tell…" I scoffed and turned back to my bag. "Don't start with that; you're such a liar. Just let me go; I never want to see your face again." I zipped up my brown suitcase and walked out the room. I grabbed my car keys on the table next to the front door and walked away from Josh and everything I knew.

I walked to my yellow Volkswagen bug; put my suitcase in the trunk and exited the building. At the second stop sign the little piece of paper stuck to my windshield began to bother me. I stuck my hand out of the window and grabbed it. I didn't even bother to look at the paper and just threw it on the passenger seat. After driving around for an hour with no place to go; I stopped at a little coffee shop. I bought myself a strong black coffee and a chocolate doughnut seeing as I skipped breakfast this morning. I sat down in one of the corner booths away from the people and began to think about how screwed I am. I don't have a place to go; I don't have any family. The sound of the chair across from me moving brought me out of my thoughts. I looked up and saw a kid sit down. He looked about fifteen with brown hair and hazel eyes; like my eyes except; I have long blond hair.

"Are you Emma Swan?" The kid asked. "Depends on who is asking." I said and took a sip from my coffee. The kid smiled at me. "My name is Henry; I'm your son."

I nearly let the cup of coffee fall. My son but I don't have… oh shit. "Listen kid I don't know what you're talking about. You have to leave; your mother is probably looking for you." I said without looking him in the eyes. "No my mom is looking at me. Fifteen years ago you put up a baby for adoption; that was me." When I finally looked at him again I couldn't deny it anymore; something inside me told me that he was my baby. But I can't be a mother. "I don't have time for this go home kid." I shoved the last bite of doughnut into my mouth and stood up. "No wait please. You have to come to Storybrook with me. You have to; you're my mom; don't you remember me." I ignored the kid and walked back to my car. I sat behind the wheel for a few minutes; just thinking about that kid; when the paper on the passenger seat caught my eye. I reached over and picked it up. The front of the paper was decorated with a nice double story white house. The flyer read: Affordable adorable houses available in Storybrook. Well if that's not a sign I don't know what is. I looked up and saw the kid walk down the street towards the bus station. I started my car and drove towards the kid with my window rolled down. "Hay kid; I can give you a lift home." He smiled at me and got into the passenger side. "Just like the first time." He whispered. I looked at him but ignored it.

The drive to Storybrook took about forty minutes. It is a nice little town in the middle of nowhere. All the shops are right next to each other and the neighbourhood I am currently driving through looks pretty cute. All the houses have the same structure just in different colours. Every person that we passed waved at us like they know us; well they probably know Henry. As I drive further down the street I get this weird sense of déjà vu; like I've been here before. "So kid; where do you live." I ask Henry. "In that house on the edge of the road; the big white one." I stop in front of the humongous white house and just stare at it. It is beautiful; the structure is so classical with a modern twist to it. "Who is your mother?" I asked Henry as we got out of my car. "She's the ex mayor of the town." He said like it's no big deal. As we walk to the front door I study the garden; his mother really likes apple trees. I knock on the black wood door three times before a woman opened the door. She looked to be in her early thirties with black shoulder length hair. "You found her; good job Henry." I looked at her. "You knew he was looking for me?" I asked; confused as ever. "Yeah I told her I wanted to know my real mom." The kid said quickly. The woman smiled at Henry as to say thanks and invited me in. Her house is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. It has a gorgeous black and white design. "Henry; why don't you go and play your PlayStation games while I talk to Emma?" The woman asked the kid. With a quick nod of his head he hurried up the stairs. The woman opened one of the magnificent doors next to her and led me in. The room appears to be a study with the same black and white design. "My name is Regina by the way." She said while pouring some light yellow liquid into two glasses. "I'm Emma but you already knew that; how?" I took the glass she held out to me and smelled it first. It smells like apple and scotch. "Its apple juice laced with scotch. It looks like you have had a long day." Regina said with a true smile. I scoffed and took a sip. "You have no idea." I said and took another sip. "Oh and Henry told me your name while he was looking for you." I nod and put the now empty glass on the table. "Well I better get going; it's a long way back to New York." I started to walk to the door but Regina stopped me. "I thought you would stay a while. Henry really wants to know his real mother." She said. This could be a new beginning for me but am I really ready to be a mother for the kid? "I don't want to impose. It looks like you two have a wonderful thing going on here and I might just complicate that." I said. "You won't be imposing. I want Henry to be happy and he will be happy with you in his life. Please consider staying." Well I have nowhere ells to go now. "Only if you think that's a good idea." I said. She smiled and nodded her head. "I'm sure. Henry will really appreciate it." I smiled back at her. "Okay then I will stay for a while. Where is the best B&B in town?" I asked. Regina walked over to the little desk in the middle of the room and wrote something on a piece of paper. "It's the best and only Bed and Breakfast in town. Just tell Granny I send you." She handed me the piece of paper with directions on it. "Thanks Regina; could you maybe ask Henry if he could do lunch with me tomorrow; I want to see him?" I asked as we walked to the front door. Regina opened her mouth to answer me but was interrupted by Henry. "Yes! Yes I would love to." Henry yelled as he ran down the stairs and stopped right in front of me. "Okay; I'll pick you up here at one?" I asked. He nodded his head and gave me a hug. After two seconds of hesitation I hugged him back. It felt so natural and strangely like coming home. "Okay then I will see you tomorrow." I said to Henry and left the house.