So in honor of my 16th birthday—in addition to updating at least one or two of my stories—I decided to post the first of many OUAT fanfics/crossovers. This is an AU, with Miranda and Grayson Gilbert being killed in an accident when Elena and Jeremy were kids and as the state sees Jenna as unfit they get put in the system. Also, Elena is in her early twenties as opposed to late teens in this—around 22 or 24, making Jeremy either 20 or 22.

This will take place, with the exception of the prologue, during the second season of OUAT with flashbacks of Elena's childhood with Regina and what her and Jeremy did during the first season. Also…this is my first time writing for OUAT, so I'm sorry if anyone is OOC. I'm doing my best, honestly.

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

Prologue:

All little six-year-old Elena Gilbert could process was numbness. The tears, denial, and relentless sobbing had long since resided. Sheriff Forbes sat across from her with an indescribably sad expression on her face—the word heartbroken flitted across the brunette's mind—and she reached across and squeezed Elena's hand as if to say, everything will be fine eventually.

Beside her Jeremy—who had only recently turned four—sat curled up next to her, staring unseeingly at the opposite wall. The young girl knew her brother hadn't fully comprehended the knowledge that their parents were dead, never to come back; even she struggled to grasp the meaning of it. She'd heard the word before, yes, and knew it meant something terrible, but up until tonight the full meaning had never registered.

"Does this mean we'll be staying with Aunt Jenna?" Elena finally asked, remembering how someone in her class had gone through the same thing not that long ago and was now living with their grandparents. Living with their aunt wouldn't be so bad—she would be able to stay with Caroline and Bonnie and she'd always loved Aunt Jenna. She was better than her Uncle John was by far.

Sheriff Forbes hesitated before carefully answering, "I'm sorry, but I don't think you will." Seeing the crestfallen expression and loathing to upset the girl more than she already was the woman added, "But you might. The decision is out of my hands."

"So where will we go?" Jeremy piped up, startling his older sister whom had believed him to be asleep.

"I think this is enough for the night," the blonde sheriff answered quickly. She really didn't want to explain that there was a high probability the two siblings would be put in the system and sent to a foster home—which kind, she had no idea. "But for now you're Aunt Jenna will stay with you here."

Elena tried to stay awake long enough to see their aunt, but the emotional toll began to take hold and combined with Jeremy's soft snoring, she was out by the time the young blonde woman arrived.

The funeral was held not long after, and throughout the entire thing the two siblings clung to each other like a lifeline as everyone else watched them with sadness and sympathy. Both Bonnie and Caroline hugged Elena tightly when it was their turn to give condolences afterwards, and that meant more to the little girl than any words of sorry and sympathy.

A few days later, a woman Elena had seen a few times arrived to take them to what she described as 'a home where you'll have lots of friends'. Even at her age she knew it meant they were being sent to a foster home—or maybe it was an orphanage. Either way, all the brunette could think of were the horror stories she'd heard about them as Mystic Falls was left behind them.

They all involved the parents being just like the evil stepmothers in Elena's beloved fairytales and stories of siblings being split and never seen again. Fear descended on her—what if that happened to her and Jeremy? That they were split or their new 'parents' were evil?

I won't let that happen, she vowed with as much viciousness as a girl her age could. As the oldest now, it was her responsibility to look out for both of them, something she intended to do.

It turns out the home wasn't that bad. There were a lot of kids, but the parents were nice enough. The home was located just outside of Boston, meaning after adjusting the siblings got to explore an entirely new area.

As it was summer, Elena took it upon herself to teach Jeremy what little she knew from school. Numbers, colors, etc., and the thing she found most enjoyable, reading. Every night she would read something to him just like their parents had done to her—be it her book of fairytales or a book one of the other kids had kindly loaned her.

Summer drew to a close and yet no one had shown interest in adopting the siblings, especially upon learning they would not be separated—and nothing would change that as the foster parents were stubborn enough to not put the two through anymore heartache.

That all changed, though, when their foster father—Mark—poked his head into the room Elena and Jeremy shared and quietly asked if they could come downstairs for a bit. Puzzled, Elena set the book she had been reading down and did as he asked, Jeremy following closely behind.

In the living room sat a woman who was dressed in a black dress suit with a dark purple shirt peeking out. Her raven black hair was cut short and seemed to shine when the light hit it just right. Overall, Elena thought she was very beautiful—despite the power that seemed to surround her, like someone of royalty.

"Ms. Mills here is looking to adopt," Mark began once the two had taken a seat opposite the black haired lady. "I told her that you two would be perfect for her."

A gasp escaped Elena before she could stop it. Someone potentially had interest in adopting them? Two siblings who she had heard were 'closer than appropriate' and no one seemed to want? She hardly noticed the look of shock that briefly crossed the woman's features when she glanced at the little brunette but it quickly faded.

Smiling faintly at the girl's reaction, their foster father left them alone with the woman.

All Elena could do was stare at the woman—Ms. Mills—while Jeremy had finally recovered from his shock long enough to begin asking questions, as most four year olds were prone to doing.

"Are you really?" He asked excitedly. "Where do you live? Do you have any other kids? Is it nice there?"

"I'm sorry," Elena said. "He hasn't really been this…happy…for awhile now."

"How long have you two been here?" Ms. Mills asked.

"A few months. Ever since our parents died," the girl replied, the familiar ache rising up but she pushed it down. Later, that was what she always told herself when she started to remember the pain—focus on it later.

"I'm sorry," was the response she got. "My parents died too."

"I'm sorry," Elena echoed.

"It was awhile ago," the raven-haired woman replied, smiling faintly at Elena. "But thank you. And, to answer your questions," she continued, turning to Jeremy at the last part, a wide, almost gentle smile crossing her face, "I am looking to adopt—and so far you two seem perfect if what I've heard is true. No, I don't have any other kids sadly, but I do live in Storybrooke—a small town, where there's plenty of kids. And it's very nice there."

"We used to live in a small town!" Jeremy exclaimed excitedly. "I miss it."

"Well, how would you like to live in one again? Only with me," the woman asked.

"You're really thinking about adopting us? But, you don't really know us!" Elena couldn't help but say.

"I know enough to know that I would love to call you family," Ms. Mills answered. "So what do you two say?"

By the end of the day, Elena and Jeremy were no longer Gilberts; instead, they were Elena and Jeremy Mills, and on their way to a new, permanent home.

As Regina drove back to Storybrooke, her two newly adopted kids asleep in the backseat, all she could think about was the aura she had sensed around Elena. It spoke of hidden magic; something she had been told did not exist here in this world. And yet somehow it did.

She wouldn't lie—the magic bit was a big deciding factor in her adopting the two siblings—but as she had spent more time with them she couldn't help but feel the darkness in her heart recede ever so slightly. Something to do with the fact that despite everything they had recently gone through, they still managed to hold onto innocence and the ability to trust easily.

And she was rapidly becoming attached to them, something she never thought she'd be able to do again.

Glancing at them in the review mirror she made a silent vow to prevent them from ever finding out who she truly was. With the way they were worming their way into her blackened heart, losing them for good might just ruin her completely.

So…good, bad, worst thing you ever read? What did you think—should I continue? Or abandon ship and move onto other ideas?

I would love to hear any ideas for the plot you may have!