I don't own Once Upon a Time. It is the property of ABC, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and is not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

A handsome prince furiously races his horse through a magical forest, on his way to his True Love. He will always find her.

A dashing pirate steers his ship on calm blue seas, after successfully navigating to this realm from the hell hole he is only too glad is behind his rudder. His thoughts turn toward vengeance.

A young boy of ten reads an adventure story in a large leather-bound tome as he too journeys to find someone he holds dear: his mother. The status quo has been maintained long enough.

A beautiful blonde woman returns to her sparsely decorated apartment alone after completing a job. It was a job she was good at, but it left her feeling alone.

Emma Swan sat in the cozy little room she rented in Granny's Bed and Breakfast, overlooking the town square and thought about all the drama that unfolded yesterday evening. When she woke up that morning, she certainly had no idea her day would turn upside down. What was Henry thinking, coming all the way to Boston on his own like that? Remembering all the trouble she got herself into as a kid though, she found she wasn't all that surprised.

And now she was staying in this odd little town.

It's just for a week. I just want to make sure he's OK, she told herself. Didn't she have a right to? Or did she give up that right when she gave Henry up immediately after birth? For his best chance, she thought. Emma made her way to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she said out loud, "I owe it to him."

But this whole fairy tale thing he told her about, that was a little crazy. Everyone in town is from another realm, a realm of magic, where all those animated movies were real? Poor kid must be messed up bad. She was no princess, that was for sure, and she definitely wasn't anyone's savior. She could barely save herself at one time. Princesses didn't have the messed up past she did.

And what was with the sheriff? She thought about her interactions with him and smiled inwardly, but exhaled a loud sigh.

Several hours earlier, Sheriff Killian Jones had been sitting at his desk at the darkened station with only a little green banker's lamp to provide any illumination in the room. He was on duty tonight but hadn't yet started his rounds. He received a call from Graham about the mayor's missing boy. He knew why Regina called Graham directly to report it and as long as his deputy never allowed his clandestine relationship with Mayor Mills to interfere with his job, he was willing to look the other way. He rubbed at the old purple-red scar on his left wrist absentmindedly, as if it itched vaguely. Regina was haughty and disdainful toward most of the town's residents, but she always seemed particularly chagrined with him for some reason. Not that she ever openly displayed her loathing of him. It was just that she constantly seemed to be displeased with his every word or action. Odd, because he would have sworn that he had upheld this office with all the dignity and good form he could muster.

His thoughts turned to Henry, her adopted son, and he sighed as he thought to himself, "Where did you go running off to this time? The little scamp was growing from a curious energetic little boy into a precocious idealistic young man right in front of his eyes. He'd always had a soft spot for the lad and Henry had recently taken to wandering off around Storybrooke on his own, but they had always been able to find him up until now. Sometimes he would be on the Toll Bridge or the playground he called his castle, other times he'd be on a bench on the pier staring off at the coastline. One time they found him at the wishing well…

Killian's cell phone rang loudly, interrupting his thoughts. He answered right away.

"Killian."

"Henry's here and he's fine," he heard Graham say on the other side and he breathed a sigh of relief, relief that Henry was OK and also relief that he wouldn't need to speak to Regina in person hopefully.

"And where was he all this time? The docks again?" Killian asked, reaching to take a sip of water from the bottle on his desk.

Graham hesitated and Killian could hear fuzzy noises in the background. "Well, he's just returned from Boston actually. The lad found his birth mother."

"Bloody hell," he spat. This was opening a can of worms, he felt, but there was something else too, a tingle of anticipation perhaps.

"Yeah, bit of a no nonsense sort of woman, judging by our brief encounter. I'm on my way back to the station right now."

"Alright, I'll start my rounds. Leave your report on my desk, if you don't mind. I have taken quite a keen interest in this one," Killian said, ending the call. He turned on the hallway light for his deputy, and made his way to his old pick up truck just as it started pouring buckets of rain. It echoed the turmoil in his thoughts. He zipped his leather jacket and hurried into his truck.

As he drove around the town, near the town line, in the rain, he noticed an unfamiliar vehicle on the road ahead of him. The prodigal birth mother he wondered. All of a sudden, her yellow Beetle swerved out of control and hit the welcome sign. He sped up to the crash, for some reason feeling more frantic than he normally would have. He was usually so controlled and composed, even in emergencies. Lightning illuminated the sky briefly behind him.

On approaching her open car door, he saw that she was slumped over the steering wheel and he was struck by her beauty before he immediately regained his sense of duty and checked her pulse. She had a small bump under her hairline but no other injury. Thanks be, he thought. She stirred briefly and opened her eyes and again, Killian got the distinct impression that he should anticipate a grand adventure, but he duly helped her out of her car. Good form, and all that.

"I'm Sheriff Killian Jones, miss, and you seem to be hurt. Do you remember what happened?"

Emma touched the small bump on her forehead and hesitated before answering, as her memories came back to her, "There was a wolf in the middle of the road. I was surprised as hell and tried to avoid it but I started hydroplaning and overcorrected and now there's a goose egg on my head."

Killian mentally chuckled at her spunk, but there weren't any wolves in this part of Maine. "A wolf, miss…?"

"Swan. Emma Swan. Look, I know what I saw."

A name that befits such a beautiful woman, he thought. Where did that thought come from? "Are you currently in any pain? I can arrange for an ambulance ride to the general hospital if you are. If not, I'm afraid, lass, that a trip to the station is in order. The charges are reckless driving at least."

"I won't be needing any hospitals, thanks. I guess it's just you and me, cowboy," she said wryly without any trace of humour.

Killian, though, felt lighter at her words and had no idea why. "You are under arrest," he began.

Emma felt the sun shining on her closed eyes and heard a low pitched whistled song. She was laying on a thin mattress next to a brick wall. There were metal bars on two walls of her cell and she could see there was another cell mirrored next to her with the source of the whistling laying on an identical mattress.

A scruffy man asked her, "What are you looking at, sister?"

"Hey Leroy, manners!"

Emma turned her head to see the sheriff coming in the room and noticed he seemed flushed.

He continued speaking. "We have a guest," he directed at Leroy, but continued addressing Emma. "So you're Henry's mother. How lovely for him to have you back in his life."

Missing his sarcasm, she needed to correct him. "Actually, I was just dropping him off."

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

Deputy Graham walked in as Killian went to release Leroy. What was it with this town and their ridiculously attractive law enforcement officers? Emma wondered.

Emma leaned on the bars of the cell and said somewhat cynically to the deputy, "Seriously?"

Graham smiled condescendingly. "Regina's drinks are a little stronger than we thought." He ought to know, Killian mused to himself.

"I wasn't drunk, there was a wolf standing in the middle of the road," Emma responded. Didn't I explain this all to the sheriff last night? She felt his eyes on her now and she looked over to where he was leaning against a desk. His gaze was intense and she wondered if he was always so stoic and strong.

Regina rushed in calling frantically, "Graham, Henry is missing again, we have to," but she stopped short at the sight of Emma behind the bars of the cell. "What is she doing here? Do you know where he is?" she asked accusingly.

Killian intervened. Regina's whiney voice irked him when he was in the best of moods, but this morning her pouty demeanor (no doubt for Graham's benefit) was certainly trying his patience.

"She has a pretty good alibi, Madam Mayor," he said, gesturing to the cell Emma was in. "I'll wager she hasn't seen your boy since she dropped him at your house."

"Yeah, well he wasn't in his room this morning."

"Did you try his friends?" Emma wondered, in a rather business-like manner.

"He doesn't really have any, he's kind of a loner," Killian responded softly. He noticed Emma winced, ever so slightly, to hear this. Ah, she is all too familiar with being alone, he mused. She straightened her posture and tilted her head. There she goes, retreating behind her armour.

"Every kid has friends" Emma said. "Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them."

The mayor scoffed rudely. "And you know this, how?"

"Finding people is what I do. Here's an idea: how 'bout you guys let me out and I'll help you find him." Emma suggested flippantly, as if she were instead discussing where they should all get a cup of coffee. Killian could tell though, she desperately wanted to locate Henry.

"Your assistance will be invaluable, I'm sure," Killian said softly, but with authority as he unlocked her cell door.

Regina was stunned for a moment, but then angrily asked him, "What do you think you're doing?"

"We can use all the help we can get to locate Henry, Madam Mayor." Killian's steely gaze locked with Regina's. "Call it a gut feeling. I believe the lass can do what she says."

The next day just felt different, but it was hard for Killian to put his finger on why. The sun was shining brightly, was that it? There just seemed to be a positive atmosphere about now, he guessed. He walked along the docks early that morning, as the sun rose on the horizon. Killian always felt a calming peace when he was by the sea. He inhaled the salt air deeply and listened to the seagulls call as they flew above his head.

Thoughts of Emma Swan kept coming back to the front of his mind, try as he might to put his thoughts elsewhere. He had been right to trust his gut feeling. She found out how he had located his birth mother and demonstrated just how precocious the lad was. He was glad Henry was found within the town limits, and figured it would be that playground where he liked to go sometimes. There was just something about Emma, something that drew him to her. She wasn't intimidated by Regina that was for certain, and that was refreshing. It seemed only he and Mr. Gold, the town pawnbroker, were that unperturbed by her. He couldn't wait to see what Emma and Regina's next altercation would entail. He imagined it would certainly be quite the showdown. Emma's fiery take-no-crap-from-anyone personality was a dynamic foil to Regina's sense of entitlement and demanding arrogance.

He continued walking, this time away from the docks and in the direction of Granny's diner to pick up some breakfast before work. As he walked through the door, the little bell above it tinkled cheerfully and the object of his thoughts turned her head slightly to see who entered. He walked up to the counter to give Ruby his breakfast order.

Emma was seated at the counter enjoying her breakfast when she heard the door bell sound. Sheriff Jones walked in and she noticed his hair was ruffled, as if there had recently been a breeze blowing it about. I like it all raggedy like that, she caught herself thinking. He walked over to stand beside her and placed his order. He was close enough that she caught the scent of salty sea air and his leather jacket and she sighed.

"Good morning Ruby," he began. Emma was reading the daily newspaper and tried not to watch Ruby obviously flirting with the sheriff. She appreciated though, that Killian seemed either oblivious to her attempts or else he was completely uninterested. Ruby seemed nice, but her sense of style was a little over the top Emma thought. She felt relieved at seeing how unaffected he was by Ruby's flirtations, which was surprising. Why should she care who flirted with whom in this town? She wasn't planning on staying long enough to get close to anyone in this town, right?

Emma was lost in her thoughts as Ruby brought her a hot cocoa. She looked around, confused.

"Um, I didn't order this."

Ruby smiled. "I know, you have an admirer."

Emma looked around the diner and noticed that Killian was still at the counter and was looking rght at her. He smiled when they made eye contact.

"Thank you. And I'm not sure how you guessed that I prefer cinnamon with my chocolate, because honestly, no one ever gets that. But I need to tell you, I'm not interested."

Killian's smile only increased. "It isn't from me, lass." And he glanced around at a booth on the far side of the diner, to where Henry was sitting.

Emma and Killian walked over to Henry, who was just finishing what looked like pancakes and eggs.

Henry seemed excited this morning. "I like cinnamon too."

Emma wondered aloud, "Don't you have school?"

"Duh. I'm ten. Walk me?"

Ruby called to Killian that his order was ready. "Tell you what," Killian said, "I'll walk with both of you as far as the station. It's on my way." He ruffled Henry's hair good naturedly.

They all headed out of the diner. Killian started. "So you've decided to stay then, I see."

"Observant. Excellent quality for a cop."

"It's good news for our tourism trade, but bad form for our local signage."

Henry chuckled but Emma just wrinkled her eyebrows at his little attempt at humour.

Killian smiled—he just couldn't seem to stop smiling this morning—and saw them off as he went to work for the day.

Henry began to talk excitedly as soon as they were out the door.

"I'm glad you're here Killian. I came up with a plan. Step one, identification. Everyone here is a fairy tale character they just don't know it, that's the curse. Time has been frozen, until you got here. The clock even started moving again last night. I think it was once you decided to stay."

"Aha, the thing about your book that you mentioned before. So you've let the sheriff here in on it? I didn't know you two were friends."

Killian walked between Henry and Emma. "Aye, the lad has needed a friend or two to confide in once in a while and I was happy to listen to what he's got to say."

"Killian can keep a secret, you can trust him. I even let him see the book once."

Trust was never something Emma was good at. She continued on with the fairy tale thing though. "What about their pasts? Don't they have to suspect something?"

"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone, anything. You'll see."

"So for decades, people have been walking around, not aging, in a haze, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious?" She sounded skeptical.

Henry grinned. "I knew you'd get it! That's why we need YOU. You're the only one who can stop her curse."

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Yes, and right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that."

"What's her deal, anyway? What is it that's going on with you two?"

"She's the Evil Queen. It's not about me and her. It's about her curse and we have to break it. I came up with a code name, to throw her off the trail. Operation Cobra," he said proudly.

"Cobra? But that has nothing to do with fairy tales."

"That's the point."

They reached the sheriff station and Killian moved to go inside. "Well, this is my stop. I have some work to attend to, after all. These delightful pastries won't eat themselves. A good day to you both," he said cheerfully.

Emma looked at Killian's retreating form as she asked Henry, "Who was Killian's fairy tale character?"

"Captain Hook," Henry said simply.

Emma didn't know what to say to that. He certainly seemed dashing enough to be a pirate. Maybe. "Anyway, how do we keep the advantage over Regina?"

"In my book, I took out the end pages, the ones with you in it." He showed her the torn pages from his backpack. "My mom doesn't know who you really are. See, your mom IS Snow White."

"Kid…"

"I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story." He sounded like this was a basic truth, as obvious as the nose on her face. "If you need proof, take them, read them, but whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you really are, it would be bad."

They walked up to Henry's school, each in a different kind of silence. Henry was hopeful and optimistic that his mother would come to believe in no time and the final battle would begin. Emma was wondering just what she had gotten herself into.

Henry ran into the building. "I knew you'd believe me!"

Emma threw her arms to her sides, "I never said I did!"

"Why else would you be here?" Henry was all smiles again.

Emma saw his teacher, Mary Margaret Blanchard approach her. "It's good to see his smile back," she confessed to Emma.

"I didn't do anything." Emma wondered just how depressed this kid had been. She wasn't used to teachers noticing and caring about their students.

"You stayed." She said it so simply, but it was a powerful statement. Yes, Emma stayed for Henry. Was she choosing him, this time? It surely wouldn't hurt to stay for a week. Could she leave him again after that though? Henry was certainly growing on her.

Mary Margaret lowered her voice slightly. "Does the mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh she knows. What is her deal?" Threatening me twice already can't be good for this town, and especially not Henry. "She's not a great people person. How did she even get elected?"

Mary Margaret answered vaguely, "She's been mayor since before I can remember. No one is brave enough to run against her I guess." She changed the subject. "I'm afraid I've caused a bit of trouble for Henry by giving him that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

Emma rolled her eyes, slightly. "Who does he think you are?"

"It's silly. He thinks I'm Snow White," she shook her head and smiled.

Emma was stunned. This woman couldn't be her mother, not that she believed in this curse business anyway. I do have her chin though. And apart from Henry and Killian, Mary Margaret seemed to be her only friend in this town. Everyone else seemed nice enough, but they seemed to genuinely want to help her.

Mary Margaret continued. "Who does he think you are?"

"I'm not in the book. Listen, Regina mentioned the kid is in therapy when she came by my room this morning. I wondered if I could ask you a favour. Do you know where I can find the doctor?"

Killian and Graham spent the morning finishing reports and filing paperwork. Even Leroy had been unheard from the night before. Would this be a quiet day, Killian wondered. Maybe he could leave a little earlier than normal, leaving Graham to man the phones. He'd been meaning to go out sailing for a few days and hadn't been able to get around to it. It'd certainly be nice to be out on the open water for a bit. This town was quaint but the sea was what really called to him.

The phone rang, stealing him from his seaward musings. Graham answered and Killian got the distinct impression that he'd be seeing the town's resident (albeit temporarily) bail bondswoman again.

"You're not going to believe this," Graham started to say.

"Try me."

"It seems Emma Swan is a thief."

"What makes you say that?" Killian asked slowly, feeling his temper flare slightly. He had no reason to be angry at this statement from his deputy, but he told himself that it was bad form to be the judge in these cases. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that.

"That was Dr. Hopper on the phone. He says Miss Swan stole some files from him, that there was a small tussle and she left with the folder he keeps on his sessions with the mayor's son."

"Bloody Hell."

"Yep."

Killian arrived at Granny's Bed & Breakfast and knocked softly on the door to Emma's room. She answered it and seemed surprised to see him in the hallway.

"What is it now? If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry, I've left them alone."

"I have just received word from a well esteemed Dr. Hopper that there was some sort of altercation between you two today. That you stole his records on your boy?"

Killian did not miss the look of complete shock on Swan's face at his words. "What? No."

"I was shocked too, given your shy, delicate sensibilities," he smirked.

Emma opened the door and gestured to the bed where all the papers were strewn as she read them. "He gave them to me."

"I am afraid the good doctor says otherwise, lass. And I'm afraid you're under arrest. Again."

"You know I'm being set up, don't you?" She looked him right in the eye and he was unnerved slightly at her intense gaze. Blast her and those eyes!

"And just who would be setting you up?"

"Regina."

Actually, I wouldn't put it past her, he thought but he wouldn't say that aloud. He smirked and led her to the police cruiser and then drove back to the station.

Graham began taking her booking photos as Killian leaned on a desk behind him.

Emma began again. "Come on, I'm being set up and you know it! The shrink is lying!"

Graham didn't seem to want to listen to her. "Turn to the right please."

Killian spoke softly. "Why would he lie?"

"The mayor, she put him up to this! She's got something on him, I bet. He's terrified of her, like everyone else is in this town."

Graham appeared unswayed. "Turn to the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?" Killian heard Emma ask next.

She's the mayor, she has her hands in everything Killian thought.

"Perhaps the police force?" Emma asked slyly. Bright lass to have worked that one out so fast.

Henry and Mary Margaret suddenly entered the station before either he or Graham could respond.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Killian asked, surprised. It can't be good for the lad to see his mother in handcuffs at the police station.

Mary Margaret answered. "His mother told him what happened. She stopped by school today."

"Miss Blanchard is going to bail you out!" Henry seemed to think this was very exciting.

"You are? Why?" Emma seemed quite surprised. Even Killian was stunned.

"Because I trust you."

Regina was on her hands and knees in her yard, picking up fallen apples. Killian approached her, whistling a lively tune as he walked. A sea chanty he picked up somewhere along the way. He admired Emma's handiwork in cutting a large portion of Regina's apple tree off the trunk. He wasn't sure where she obtained the chainsaw but he wasn't asking and he was sure she wouldn't be telling.

"She destroyed my property. I want her arrested!" Regina was practically seething.

"With all due respect, Madam Mayor, I hardly think that will solve this," he said evenly.

"What did you just say to me Sheriff?"

"I can arrest her again but she'll just keep on coming. She's a determined lass, that Emma Swan, as I mentioned before. And I know you'll agree that my time might be better spent in investigating this fascinating case. I wonder, don't you, who persuaded Dr. Hopper to agree to this lie?" He turned to go, but thought better of it and turned back to Regina to add, "I also know you'll agree that if this escalates between you and Miss Swan, it seems to me that Henry is the only one that will be hurt."

Killian registered the hard look in Regina's eyes as he spoke. He turned and walked away this time, continuing to whistle his song.

Later in the evening, Mr. Gold also paid Regina a visit as she was attempting to fix her apple tree. He limped over to her but there was almost a spring in his step. He relished seeing Regina so put out over this Swan girl. Earlier the day before, he learned the name of the town's new visitor and all of a sudden, he remembered things. He remembered himself really, that was what it was. He was stuck, but not for long.

"What a mess," he said sardonically.

"Not. For. Long. What can I do for you, Mr. Gold?" She seemed like she was trying to get rid of him as quickly as possible.

"Oh, nothing dear," he said softly. He found he didn't need to speak loudly to get the attention of those around him. "I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such, ah, high spirits."

"Yes. Well. I've just ended my day on a higher note than when it began. I just rid the town of a nuisance." She sounded arrogantly confident.

"Emma Swan? You think so?"

"I imagine Miss Swan is halfway to Boston by now." Gold noticed that she could barely contain her contempt for the blonde woman. Regina never did like to have her toys taken away from her.

"Oh no dear. Thick as thieves I saw them, walking down the main street together, Emma and your boy." He enjoyed the way her eyes widened with surprise and frustration.

"What?!"

"Maybe you should have come to me, Madam Mayor. If you have a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help." He was playing with her. "For a price, of course," he added.

"I'm no longer interested in making deals with you, Gold."

"Deal? Be more specific, to which deal are you referring?"

"You know which deal."

"Ahh yes. The boy. Finding a baby for you to adopt. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name Henry is? Old fashioned and strong. How ever did you think of it?"

Regina nearly stuttered over her words, she was so angry. "Did you want her to come here? You wanted this to happen! Your finding Henry was no accident! Where did you get him? This was no accident!" She stalked toward him in a confrontational way.

"I don't know what you're implying."

"Oh yes you do. Who is his mother? Who is this…Emma Swan?"

"I'd say you know exactly who she is. Now, as charming as you've been tonight, I really must be going."

"Don't you leave without telling me what you know!" She stood right in front of the sidewalk to prevent him from leaving.

"Bad idea, dearie. I won't be telling you anything. Now. Get out of my way. Please."

He walked away from Regina's house feeling rather optimistic about the way events were unfolding. Having the Savior in town was certainly a cause for happiness.