AN: It was one of my new years resolutions to write more, so I challenged myself to 100 writing prompts, the first one was "Beginning" and this is as oneshot was the result of it. But because I love the idea too much to leave it at that, I will turn it into a multi chapter fic. Unbetaed, all mistakes are mine.

Please tell me what you think :D

The white door falls into it's lock behind her. Closing for what she intends to be the last time. She doesn't feel the sense of finality she had expected to feel. It's relief that floods her instead.

The decision hadn't been an easy one, she had pondered for days, had been on the verge of discussion her plans with Emma or god forbid, the Charmings. In the end she had, she simply had started packing. Had decided to fill suitcases, bags and carton boxes with the memories, the happy memories that would hold her in Storybrooke, instead of staying.

It had been six years since the Snow Queen had disappeared and she had send Robin along with Marian and Roland across the town line, aware that she wouldn't see her destined soulmate again. Regina would lie to herself if she would say that she hadn't hoped for his return, hadn't hoped that he perhaps would find a way back. Especially after they had revoked the curse resting on the small town's limits. Finally providing Storybrookes inhabitants the possibility to travel and explore the still strange and foreign world they now resided within. But she knew he wouldn't come back, just like she knew she wouldn't be able to find him, should she attempt to.

There hadn't been another crisis after Ingrid's defeat, with Rumpelstiltskin gone and the Evil Queen not a threat anymore, everyone had eventually settled into a routine that could be regarded as normal. It had taken time, but Regina too eventually had been able to do so.

It had been Henry, who had helped her then. Moving back into the mansion with her, not because Snow's small apartment was too cramped with all of them, but because he wanted to be with her, wanted to move into his old room. Snow's disappointment had been visible the day shortly after Robin's departure, when Henry had informed them of his decision. Neither Snow White nor Emma had dared to second guess her son's words, letting him go willingly, easily. Regina after all, wasn't regarded as the villain anymore she used to be.

The Saviour had tried to help her, to be there for her and be the friend she had claimed she could be for her. Regina of course, had shut her out, unwilling to let anyone in. Not even showing Henry, how much she truly hurt. Preferring to grief the loss of her love alone and in silence. Eventually the former mayor had caved, not to share her grief no, she had decided to offer Emma a chance of something akin to friendship. And if only for Henry's sake.

She knew that it wasn't fair to simply leave now, to disappear with only a note left behind, a letter found in their mail boxes tomorrow morning, explaining her reasons and wishing her farewells. It simply was the easier option, to leave like this, without are you sure's and Snow's tears. Besides, Regina knew that Neal wouldn't understand, would want her to stay, would ask her to do so and while she only could roll her eyes whenever her former nemesis got emotional, she couldn't stand to see the elementary schooler upset. Neal easily had taken a liking to 'Auntie Regina', always excited whenever he saw her, insisting she sat beside him at the dining table or holding her hand when they went for a walk after.

He was the only one she truly would miss. She wouldn't miss anyone else, not Emma or Snow, not Charming. Well, Granny perhaps. She could live without the others, easily. Their relationship based on equal amounts of for Henry I can tolerate them and at least they can be somewhat entertaining, not enough to make her truly miss their company.

It's almost midnight when she – finally, crosses the town line, feels the familiar sting of her magic attempting to fight the inevitable. It's not the first time she leaves Storybrooke. She has done so many times, had almost crashed the first time she had done so. The pain of her magic disappearing into unreachable parts of her consciousness too strong, too surprising. By now she is used to it. Knows that the feeling will fade and her magic along with it.

The drive would be a long one, approximately seven hours but only if traffic was good, only if her breaks weren't too long. But Regina was prepared and more than ready to finally leave everything behind.

Henry had returned to New York, this time without a set of fake memories, this time to study instead. Which is where Regina would move to, regardless of her son's repeated questions of whether or not she was serious, not quite believing his mother, the former mayor of a sleepy small town, was cut out for the city that never sleeps.

Everything was already taken care of, she had an apartment – no mansion, not quite up to it's standards either, but still good enough; waiting for her to move into. Henry had taken quite a few of her belongings with him, after his last visit. Promising her to ready her new home for her. Not quite sure what to expect from that statement, Regina could feel a smile taking over her lips, come morning she would be in her new home, able to let go of the lingering pain and grief she still felt every now and then.

Henry hadn't lied, he truly had done his best to set her apartment up, surprising his mother not only with fresh flowers and a rather interesting attempt of decorating but a filled fridge and pantry as well.

"You shouldn't have…" she had smiled up at the boy she once held in her arms, now more than a head taller than herself.

"It's nothing." he had shrugged, playing it down but smiling brightly at her still.

She had been tired, more than exhausted. The drive longer than she had anticipated, still Regina had rather spend the morning with her son than sleeping, despite his assurances that he would understand should she rather want to rest instead of going out for breakfast with him. He had shown her her new neighbourhood, grocery stores, coffee shops and anything she easily would have been able to find herself, still she had been grateful. Had enjoyed his small tour, able to sense his pride of being able to make the transition into her new home as easy as possible.

Unsurprisingly, Emma and Snow had started to call, message and e-mail her before she even had arrived in New York City, she had ignored them, had red the e-mails and text messages, yes, but hadn't answered or picked up her phone. She had been too busy anyways to answer their you could at least have said a proper goodbye, are you sure's and we miss you already's.

Grumpy's e-mail — which truly had surprised her, was the only one she had replied to, ensuring him that she believed that Snow after six years as mayor was more than capable of running the small town by herself, without her there as backup.

She had answered Emma's call three days after her departure, the blonde unsurprisingly angry and something that sounded like disappointed too but Regina wasn't sure. Instead of questioning it, she simply had listened to Emma's rant, had told her she understood but expected to be understood as well, before explaining that no, she wouldn't come back. That she was done with Storybrooke and fairytales. Regina had sensed it then, had known that Emma would ask whether or not she left because of Robin, left in hope she somehow would find him, before the blonde was able to breath the words however she had cut her off. A short, icy don't you dare, enough to end the topic before it had come up.

She had e-mailed Snow two days later, caving and offering her to help in case anything came up with the town she herself had run for almost thirty years. The answer had followed promptly, Snow would love to take her up on that offer should she need to and Neal would love to Skype with her, missing his Auntie Regina. To that she had agreed, aware that Snow and perhaps Emma would use the chance to lecture her and her decision once more.

That one Skype-date had followed more, until they eventually skyped weekly. Neal came to visit her eventually too, along with Emma. And together with Henry they had spend the week roaming New York. Emma had helped her on that occasion, had helped her to find a job. Ignoring Regina and her complains that she didn't need a job, that money was no issue and that she had enough to do to entertain herself throughout the day. Truth be told, the former mayor was grateful for the position Emma got her, even if working as secretary for another wasn't exactly something that suited a Queen but it was better than nothing and who knew, perhaps she would eventually be able to find something else, something her unprovable experience would fit better.

Regina easily found a routine in her new home, finding friends and spending time with Henry whenever she could. She left the job Emma had gotten her after three months, the position of a secretary wasn't quite fit for a former mayor, let alone a queen. Instead she took over a book shop. Surprisingly she had made friends with one of her neighbours, and old lady from the apartment below her. She had helped her, once or twice, carrying her groceries up the four flights of stairs until Kiren had invited her in for coffee and self baked cake. An unlikely friendship had developed between them, Regina stopping by at least once a week, occasionally with Henry as well for coffee or tea. Eventually Karin had mentioned how she wanted to retire, but didn't want to close her bookshop, would much rather love to sell it into good hands. Out of nowhere, surprising herself more than the old lady Regina had agreed to take the store, along with the two employees Karin had. She had renovated the store, remodelled it almost completely and re-named it too. A Castle for a Book, seemed more fitting to the former mayor than simply Bookstore. Surprisingly, the small store easily picked up business and was filled nearly every day to the brim with costumers, eager to find their next book.

It would take another three months, marking almost seven since she had left Storybrooke behind and a rainy day that had her hurrying across wet pavement on her way to her weekly dinner with Henry until she caught a whiff of a familiar scent. She had been late, too late. It had taken her longer to close up the store than usual, the reading of a fantasy author having left quite the chaos behind, thanks to rather odd costumes of those that had shown up to meet the author. With her coat open, flying with the breeze and her clutch held above her head to shield herself at least somewhat from the rain Regina had rushed along the busy streets, by now used to their countless people and the body contact walking or taking the subway would occasionally require.

She had bumped into another, or perhaps he had ran into her...and Regina's nose had found itself dangerously close to a broad chest. Just for a brief moment, a fracture of a second before she had side-stepped him and was on her way to Henry again but it had been enough to fill her nose and lounges with that familiar scent of nature and wood along with something that was entirely him.

Regina had thought nothing of it, hadn't turned around to see if perhaps it had been him, had ignored the painful memories that short encounter had triggered. Instead she had rushed to the restaurant, fifteen minutes late, Henry already waiting at their usual spot a bright smile on his face.

That night she had dreamed of him, had dreamed of the moment he had told her that he choose her over his son and wife, over the family they were. She woke up crying, cursing whoever it had been she had crossed paths with, not too far away from her small bookstore.

"I'll just place these here and my boss will ring them through when she's back." she could hear Helena, one of her employees, near the cash register. Regina had just left the register for a brief moment, wanting to place misplaced books in their rightful place, something she frequently did throughout quieter moments of the day, fuming each time over costumers that were either too lazy or too stupid — or perhaps both, to take the books back to where they had got them from.

Abandoning the task with a sigh, the basket she had filled before not nearly as empty as she would like, the former Queen, now store owner eturned to the front desk, a smile on her lips, ready to great her next costumer.

It was the child carrying a load of books, her eyes land on first, a mop of unruly, brown curls on his head and dimples that seemed almost too familiar for her liking. Before her brain could process who was smiling widely at her, ready to purchase his books, not quite recognizing her in return, a familiar voice cuts through the suddenly tense air.

"Regina?"