A/N: I don't know cars or racing, so please don't judge me on that. I thought this would be a fun topic. I apologize for any wrong information. I know science and physics, so that is what I'm going off of. Not everything is accurate, so please don't comment on how horrible my information is. I don't own any of this. I am just some little writer. I hope you enjoy. -HW
Regina Marie Mills is the number one race car driver in the states. Her father was Henry Mills, the racer to set a new speed record. Her mother was a representative of the company he sponsored. He was always trying to impress her, but she was not into the racers. He finally asked her out and they had a wonderful time. Two years into dating, they got married in Maine. They had Regina two more years later. Regina grew up around the race track and she loved it. The speed, the adrenaline, the rush. It was amazing. She started to race when she got her license and with her Father's help, became better than all of the pros in a matter of years. She was regarded as the most gifted driver the world has ever seen. She credits her success to her father and mother's support.
She is a single mother. She adopted her son when she was 24, but he was already 8 at the time. He was already named Henry, so there was no need to change his name. She wanted to share her love with someone else and he seemed to like the idea. He was just as interested as she was and wanted to learn everything. He showed even more potential than she ever did and that was something she was happy about. He never wanted to race, but be in the pit and giving pointers. He isn't like all the other boys. They all wanted to race with his mother, but he wanted to be the one that had her back during a race and could be with her no matter what.
She is currently in Storybrooke, Maine. She went to college to get some form of education, but then dedicated her life to racing others. She has so much winnings saved that she lives in the house next to the Mayor's house. It is just as extravagant and has more space for cars. She never met the mayor, but thought that he/she was very good at keeping everything organized.
It is May 6 of 2016 and she is 26. She has been racing for 9 years and has broken all the records, but her fathers speed record. She was in a race that day for a spot in the World Cup later in the year. A trip to France and around the world with every different type of terrain. She was so excited. She was 2 laps ahead of everyone, but would never let up. She was so close to the finish line, but one of her tires were popped. She didn't know what happened, but she heard her father talking in her ear and telling her that she wore out the rubber. She needed to get to the pit now. She drove as fast as she could and got to the pit. Her mother was looking at her with worry and her father had hope and a slight smirk. She knew that look. He was proud that she was going fast enough to wear out her tires in a race. Her son was writing down all her stats. He started to give out pointers that no ten year old would imagine telling his mother.
"There are 50 laps left. The tires you have might last that long if you don't burn through the last layer. You don't have to slow down, but you need to watch the revolutions. Try going into another gear before you hit 5000. The Dragon can't take much more."
Regina was smirking. Her son named her race car the Dragon because it was a sleek black with some red accents. He named it the first time he saw it and she couldn't help but smile every time he said it. She knew what Henry meant about the revolutions. She is overworking the engine because she is shifting to certain gears that overwork axles. She was used to hearing his tips, so it didn't phase her. She knew that she had to listen to him because the one time she didn't, she almost lost the race. "Alright, H. I got it. Now, what is my average speed? I need to know how much I need to get to beat the king."
"Mom, you aren't going to get there. You are 10mph behind average, so you would need to speed up per lap. I am not encouraging this or the engine will give out before you get to the finish line and then that won't give us anything to wok with. There is no way you are going to try. You can break it when we go to France. Now go before you fall behind."
She put her hemlet back on. She was wearing all black and that was her signature. She had a purple streak down the center of her helmet and on her jumpsuit. She got back in her car and started off again. She listened to Henry and was ahead in the end by two laps. She was immediately placed into the World Cup coming in June. She won first place and when she looked into the camera, she said her usual speech about how she is going to work hard and be going to Disneyland. Then she added something that she never imagined she would ever say on live TV. "I aim hoping to find someone special on my journey around the world."
She walked back to the pit and saw her son staring at her with wide eyes. She then processed what she said, when her mother grabbed her arm. "Well it's about damn time." Her father started to chuckle and she was mortified. She had someone she loved when she was in high school, but he left her when he wanted to go into business. She looked over to see if Henry was okay and he had the biggest smile on her face.
"Did you mean that?"
"I have no idea where that came from."
"That's not what I asked. Did you mean it? Do you wish to find someone to love on this trip?"
"A girl can dream. All the people I can think of that would want to date me either want fame, money, or are too intimidated to approach me. You are my number one priority, so I won't go hunting for someone when we get to France."
"Mom, it has been long enough. Move on from Daniel and be with someone. I'm sure that any guy would want to date you."
"What if it wasn't a guy?"
Henry contemplated this a while before responding. "I would be fine with that. You need someone else in your life that doesn't share familial love. Now, we need to get planning on what we are going to do on this trip. I want to explore France and then I want to get some little souvenir because I know how expensive this is going to be."
Regina's mother had to cut in. "Actually, Regina's sponsors are paying for this trip. She doesn't have to pay fro anything. I have already spoke with all of them. There is more than enough to get us around the globe a few times."
"Are you serious?"
"Very. Now go plan every place you want to visit. I will give you a list of every place the tour is. Regina also has to prepare to race internationally. She needs to be ready for all terrains, so that means making adjustments to her car. She needs to have a lower center of gravity because she will be racing in the mountains of Switzerland. She also needs to be ready for town racing, as well as off-road. She is at a disadvantage because we aren't circling back to America until the very end."
They all sighed. There was a lot of work that we being put into this race and it would all be worth it when she is the best racer in the world and can stop her career with that title. Her father would be helping with her turns because she needs to watch her turn radius, as her mother is going to advertising. Henry was looking at all of the big places they would all go, so he started to name all the main wonders of the world. Regina was looking forward to looking around the world, but she was not looking forward to the work that is going to be put into preparation.
She went home and convinced Henry to sleep after he had at least 10 things on his list. She went onto all her social media and posted that she is going international for the world cup. She silenced her phone so she wouldn't be bombarded with likes, retweets, comments, and any other form of communication. Tomorrow would be her strategy day. She would pick the main things she needed to work on and determine the amount of time she would have to get each thing done. She would mostly listen to her son about all of this because you never ignore a comment that a professional gives you. He may be 10, but his is highly intelligent and can give so much information. She knew she needed to work with another car, so she can get turns down without lots of torque. She also needed to work on her speed because if she wanted to break one more record, she had to work up all her speed.
She went to sleep and dreamed about someone in the pit with her son and cheering her on. This person was nice, kind, supportive, intelligent, honest. There were no physical attributes she could pick about besides that their voice sounded like an angel. It was either a low voiced woman or a high voiced man, but the way this person was cheering her on made her feel like a queen. She had a peaceful night's sleep and then she got up at an ungodly hour to get ready.
Some people might assume that a race car driver likes to drive all the time, but Regina is different. She likes to run when she can. She ran to the diner and picked up the breakfast she usually picks up after a race for Henry and her. Her order was ready on time and she had a small chat with the owners, Ruby and Eugenia Lucas. There was town gossip about how Katherine Nolan would take over her father's law firm this year and that Mayor Swan would be running again, most likely unopposed. There was also news that Mr. Gold was giving his wife Belle the library. Mary-Margaret was still a school teacher and Henry's all time favorite as her husband works at the animal shelter. Sheriff Humbert was also thinking about leaving to go to New York and work for law enforcement there. Nothing was that big of a deal besides the part about the Mayor. Regina has never had the time to speak with the mayor because they are both incredibly busy people.
Regina ran back to the house to get breakfast ready before Henry was up. When she finished before he got up, she would get to choose that day's activities. This time, however, she was greeted by Henry as he sat on the couch. She faked a pout, but they had the same idea for what they would be doing today. He wanted to pick about some new accents for a few of the cars they use daily because they are mostly a plain color with a few stickers that advertise for her. They would also have to travel to the track and listen to her mother go on and on about how important this trip is and that her father has been looking forward to this for years. Her father would try to get her out of the pit and onto the track as soon as he could without getting his head bit off by his wife.
Henry and Regina drove to the car shop in her silver Honda Accord. It was one of those cars that looks so out of place with her other cars, but it was very nice to have. Henry went with Gus to look at some decals that would work with the car. Regina sat in the waiting room and looked at the old magazines. Most were about her, but she never gave an interview. She does photo shoots and answers press questions, but she has never just sat down and had a one on one interview with someone. While she was waiting for her car to get pimped, the bell on the door made a sound, indicating someone had entered. Regina looked up to see a blonde haired woman, in jeans, a white tank top, and a red leather jacket. The woman walked to the counter and was greeted by one of the people working there. She took a seat one away from Regina and there was an awkward silence between them. Regina didn't like the feeling, so she decided to talk to this person.
"Good Morning."
"Morning. How are you?"
"I'm good. And you?"
"As am I. You look so familiar. Have we met before?"
"Possibly. Regina Mills."
"Nice to meet you. I am Emma Swan. What are you in here for?"
"My son wanted to add some decals to my car, so he is with Gus and choosing what he likes. And you?"
"My car broke down on the way to work."
"You wouldn't happen to know that mayor, would you?"
"I know her very well. She seems very reclusive, but so do you. Not a single interview about you. Seems like you have a secret."
"So you've heard of me. Well, I'm not keen on feeling like I am being interrogated."
"Interviews are not like that. It mostly depends on what your comfort levels are."
"It seems like you know a lot about interviews. What do you do for a living?"
"I am a volunteer wherever I am needed. I am a substitute teacher for Ms. Blanchard and I work with her husband. I work at Town Hall every once in a while, but I am mostly at the library helping Mr. Gold with his gift to his wife."
"That is very noble of you. As you know, I am a racer in town. I am going on a trip for the world cup and I hope you didn't catch my little slip-up with the press."
"I did. I think it is nice that you are looking for someone. I actually thought that you already had a significant other."
"It has been hard to get out there when everyone knows your face."
"I know the feeling." Emma looked away from Regina to see a brunette young man waving towards them. She smiled because she knew that boy very well. "Regina, Henry seems to want you attention."
Regina looked up and saw Henry waving, but he seemed to want both of them. "It looks like he wants both of us." They both stood up and waled to where Henry was.
"Hi, mom. Ms. Swan."
"Call me Emma, kid."
"Nice to see you, Emma. I need your help. We have a silver Honda and I am debating about getting a window decal or something on the hood."
"I would choose window."
"Thanks. Mom, we are getting an apple and/or a feather on a window. It would look really cool and I know you love apples."
"Alright, H. Now, do you already have a sketch?"
"No. That's why I need Emma. She is better at art than either of us. All we need to do is describe it to her and she should be able to make a detailed version."
Before Regina could say that it was rude to assume something, Emma cut in with her positive response. "Sure thing, Henry. Do you want the apple or the feather as the main thing? It can be a feather on an apple or vise versa."
"Feather on an apple. A red Hunny Crisp with a black and white feather curving upwards on it."
Emma started to draw on a scrap sheet of paper and showed off her speed art skills. She was so focused and dedicated and was willing to do something at a simple command. Regina watched as Emma's arm moved quickly and precisely. When Emma finished, she had a beautiful picture of a red apple with a feather on it, but also added a crown on the apple.
"That looks awesome, but why the crown?" Henry asked.
"Your mom is the queen of the track, so it would be fitting for her to have a crown." Emma smiled at her answer. She looked over at Regina and winked at her. Regina was then lost in thought as Henry started to talk about dimensions and placement. Was she flirting with me? No. She probably had something in her eye. She probably also has a boyfriend or something. She is so kind, nice, sweet, and caring. How can someone be so god damn nice? She is so perfect and amazing.
Henry went to where Gus was. He gave Gus the picture and told him to put it in the bottom left corner of the back windshield. He looked to Regina for confirmation and received a nod. He began to work on the art, while Emma was talking to Felix, a young apprentice of sorts. She had a smile on her face when he left. She turned back to Regina and Henry to inform them of something. "It looks like my car is ready to go. It was nice to see both of you. Henry make sure that your homework is done by Monday. Ms. Blanchard may be out, but that doesn't mean that you can miss doing it. I must go help Mr. Gold, but I hope to see you soon. Have a nice Saturday."
"Bye, Emma. See you Monday."
"Bye, Emma. It was nice to meet you."
Emma nodded and went over to a yellow Volkswagen bug. It was a cute car, but it was not the most appealing. Emma drove off into town, as Regina was alone again. She found Emma's company to be nice and was disappointed to see her go. It also seems like Henry likes to be around her. She must be good with kids if she is a substitute teacher and definitely has a heart of a kind person. Emma was the person she would be looking for, but she is probably unavailable. Regina sighed at the thought and waited for her car to be done. She wouldn't be able to go above 40 for a few days, but it would look really nice. It didn't take long because it was a simple, yet beautiful design, so she was able to leave when her mother started to complain about punctuality.
Regina drove over to the track and was greeted by her father. He was holding her black jumpsuit and a smaller black one. It seems like her father got Henry a small jumpsuit to wear as he is in the pit with everyone else. She ran to the restroom and changed quickly. Her mother was in the lounge talking on the phone with someone. She didn't want to get involved, so she offered a small wave and headed over to where Henry was chatting with her father and the crew. She didn't like having lots of people because it meant she was taking their time away. She had Leroy, a drunk, but efficient mechanic, August Booth, a traveling tourist that will go anywhere, so he is like an agent, but is also a mechanic, Fa Mulan, a down to earth girl that can do anything, and her best friend Zelena, she is the person that pushes, but also can do anything with a car. They are the best she could find and they are all like family. Her son seemed to be giving them a run down of where they will be going on this trip and if they can't go to tell them now,so there are no surprises.
Regina got into her car and waited for instructions. She started with a few warm-up laps until she heard Henry speaking through her head piece.
Ma. Work on keeping your turns more sharp. Stay on the very inside of the track and stay along the edge, but don't run off. Keep the tires turned at a slight angle, but keep the turn radius small.
"Alright, H. How many laps before I can stop?"
20. Then we can talk and you can have a break. Grandma has some news, but she refuses to tell us until you are done with your practice.
"Got it. See you in 20."
Regina did as she was told and was able to stay in control for the whole time. She pulled in and saw her mother beaming. That was certainly new. She knew her mother liked when she did something well, but she didn't know what it could be this time.
"Mother, what's going on?"
"You have a sponsor that has lots of connections and she is willing to do somethings for us."
"Who? Who has to much power that it makes you this excited?"
"The mayor. She wants a meeting, so she can get some information to spread around. She knows international people and is willing to offer her services."
"That's wonderful, mother. Were you talking to her on the phone?"
"Yes. She seems to like you and is going to meet us in her office for lunch. She wants to know what your favorite food is, so she has something you like."
"Tell her anything is fine. What time because I will need a shower?"
"She wants us at 3, so you have time. Now, Henry may come if he wants to, but it is up to him. He invited the whole family, but requested that at least you and I be there."
"I am sure Henry would love to come. I need to get back to practice. I will go home around 2 to get ready and I will meet you at the Town Hall."
"Wonderful. Have fun, darling?"
Cora was almost skipping when she left. Regina asked her father and son if they wanted to go to town hall to meet the mayor. They both liked the idea and then put her back on the track. Turns were done, so now speed without too much torque on turns and then some other little techniques. Before she was done, Henry wanted to be in the car with her, so he could see what she was doing on the inside because she was not getting balanced quick enough when she is thrown. She reluctantly let him in and he saw that she liked to speed up when she went out of control, which made it even worse. He told her to take her foot off completely when she spins out and that should help and it did. She went around a few times as her son was enjoying being on the inside. She didn't want to cut down on their fun time, but she had to because of this important meeting.
Regina drove home with Henry while her father went home as well. Everyone was covered in sweat and some other materials from their practice. It wasn't an unusual thing to see them covered in mystery substances. Cora was not a fan of all that, so she doesn't stay for practices unless it was to show off Regina to some marketers. Regina takes quick showers, while Henry liked to take longer showers. She takes about 5 minutes, so she makes a small snack to makes sure she isn't starving. She just had an apple and a few crackers before Henry came down in a nice lounging outfit for the day. She was wearing something more professional, a pantsuit and blazer. She normally wouldn't wear something so formal, but if this is something important with the mayor, she might as well look her best while she is at it. She drove to town hall in her newly decorated car and saw her mother standing against her own car.
"Hello, mother. Where is daddy?"
"He is sitting inside. Mayor Swan's assistant said we can wait inside and I wanted to make sure you got here. You are even 5 minutes early."
"That was the plan. We should go in because we don't want to be late."
The three remaining Mills walked in and sat down with the eldest of them all. They waited for a long five minutes before the assistant told them where to go. They all got up and walked to the door marked "Mayor" and entered. It was a black and white themed office, but there were some bright flowers that contrasted nicely with the rest of the office. There was a blonde woman wearing a pantsuit similar to Regina's and her back was to them. The woman turned around and there stood a familiar face.
"Mayor Swan, thank you for this opportunity."
"Please call me Emma. You have a lovely family, Mrs. Mills."
"Cora. I would like to introduce you to my family. My husband, Henry Mills."
"A pleasure." Emma stuck out her hand and shook the old man's.
"My grandson, Henry."
"Good to see you, H." Emma placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And then my daughter-"
"Regina Mills. I know her. She is the reason that I wanted this meeting. Nice to see you again, Regina."
A/N: I know this is probably really bad, but it is the best I could do with the time I have. Please tell me if I should go on or start some other topic.