Thank you for reading! This isn't my first fan fiction, but it's the first one that I've posted here. Enjoy and please let me know what you think. :)

I own nothing. If I did, Swan Queen would have been canon last season...just saying...


Things happen for a reason. At least that's what people say. Regina disagreed, particularly now, considering her car was in the shop because of a rather large piece of metal that had been in the middle of the road. It had chewed up two of her tires and left a nice slice in her muffler. She stood outside the mechanic. She paced back and forth, when a sudden meow grabbed her attention. She walked over to a large dumpster and found a small grey kitten sitting on the cold concrete.

One of the mechanics walked out and gave her a puzzled look. "Your car's ready." He said.

"Who's cat is this?"

He scratched his head at the question, "Ah…no one's, we've been feedin' him, but we think he's a stray."

"Would you mind if I took him?"

The man looked around before narrowing his eyes at her, "Why?"

"There'll be a freeze tonight." She paused, "He could die."

"Sure. I don't see why not. I'll give you the rest of the food we got for him."

Regina picked up the tiny grey kitten, cringing and holding him away from her jacket. He was caked with mud and dirt of some kind and felt greasy to the touch. She peered into the kitten's light green eyes and let out a soft sigh. He stared back at her and let out a mournful cry that melted her heart. "Come on, little one." she said, "I know someone who will love you." She set the little kitten into a box of files in the passenger seat and drove off towards home.

Once inside, she looked around the house to see if anyone else was home before setting the box down on the kitchen counter. She looked down at the little feline. He had curled up into a tight ball at the bottom of the box, having pushed the files out of the way. She found an old bottle of half used pet shampoo buried at the back of a closet and brought it to the kitchen sink. Going back to the box, she pulled the grimy kitten out of the box and walked him over to the sink.

The kitten, like any other feline, hated the water as it ran down his back. The dirt was mixed with thick oil. Motor Oil, Regina assumed, as she worked the shampoo into the tiny animal's fur. The kitten let out a quiet mew as she rinsed away the soot and oil. It took two rounds of shampoo to get all of it off. The once grey kitten was actually a beautiful dusty orange kitten.

Regina toweled the kitten off and walked into the living room with him still in her arms. She relaxed into the couch and stroked the top of the itty bitty feline. He purred in her arms as he snuggled into the towel. They sat together for quite a while before the door opened and she could hear Emma and Henry come into the mansion.

"Go do your homework before dinner." Emma said as Henry shed his winter jacket and ran upstairs. Regina could just make out the soft thuds of Henry running up the stairs to do his homework in his bedroom.

"Regina, you home?" Emma called, after she unbundled from several layers of winter clothes.

"In here." Regina called back as she stood and met her half way.

"What's in the towel?" Emma asked, peering into the bundle in Regina's arms.

"A kitten." Regina smiled, "He was living by a dumpster behind the mechanic and we're supposed to get that freeze tonight. I didn't want to just leave him. He was covered in oil and dirt."

Emma beamed, "He's adorable." She leaned over the kitten and gave her girlfriend a gentle kiss. "What are we going to call him?" She asked as she pulled away, scratching the kitten with her index finger.

"We are not keeping him," Regina clarified, "we'll take him to a rescue or something in the morning."

"I think he looks like a Monty." Emma said.

"Emma, we are not keeping him."

"Keeping who?" Henry asked as he came into the living room.

"Your mother brought home a kitten." Emma grinned.

"We are not keeping him. I just didn't want him to freeze tonight." Regina argued.

"Can I hold him?" Henry bounced on his toes with an excited smile.

"Sure. He's still wet, so keep him wrapped up." Regina passed the bundle to her son and his smile grew. He sat on the couch and stroked the kitten's head. The kitten purred loud enough for both the women to hear him from a few feet away.

"What are you going to call him?"

"I suggested Monty." Emma said as she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and rested her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"We are not keeping him." Regina repeated.

"Things happen for a reason." Emma whispered into her ear.

They put a makeshift litter box in the bathroom and put a water bowl out for the night. The kitten slept curled up against Regina's chest the whole night, while Emma slept against her back. Regina loved the feeling of the blonde sound asleep beside her. The kitten was an added comfort as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, it was decided the kitten would stay. Regina even went to the pet store and got him a collar and a tag with the name Monty engraved into it. "Perhaps things do happen for a reason," she told Monty as she fastened the collar around his thin neck. He looked up at her and let out a happy purr.