This takes place at the end of season 4A. As a refresher: Robin leaves Storybrooke with 'Marian', Elsa and Anna return home, and Rumplestiltskin was banished across the town line by Belle. To avoid getting into the tangled storyline of the Author, however, Henry will not have discovered the library and there will be no Operation Mongoose.

Swan Queen is endgame; I promise you they will get their happy ending. Hook and Robin Hood are minor characters and will NOT be interacting with Emma or Regina in any romantic way, so don't worry about that. You have my eternal gratitude if you decide to join me on this ambitious journey. Without further ado…


Prologue

"You can do this, Emma."

"We have faith in you."

"Save her, Ma, please!"

Every word cut into her like a hot knife, lashing at her back as she knelt hunched over Regina's motionless form, the brunette cradled in her arms. She could hear the scuffling from behind her; David and Snow holding tight to Henry as he sobbed, desperate to run to both his mothers despite what Emma had just done- and what she now needed to do.

Ruby, August, the fairies, everyone else; their silence was suffocating, hanging over her like a thick fog, and Emma's eyes blurred with unending tears that fell and stained the satin dress shirt of the woman in her arms. A shaky hand found its way to Regina's pale, colorless cheek, gently stroking the unresponsive face, a thumb brushing over the familiar scar on crimson red lips.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, voice cracking and broken. "I'll fix this, Regina. I promise."

Carefully lowering Regina's lifeless form to the ground, Emma settled her right hand against her own chest and took in a deep, steadying breath. She could feel her own heartbeat beneath her fingertips, pounding erratically with fear and pain and a million other emotions that she couldn't even put words to. All she knew was that she had to do this; it had to work. The alternative was too painful to even consider.

She looked down at Regina's face- peaceful, as if she were simply asleep- and one emotion came to the forefront, the most powerful feeling of all that stilled her trembling hands and readied her heart for what was to come.

"I do love you," Emma breathed out, before plunging her hand into her own chest.


Chapter 1 - "Gray"

Why do they always run?

That was the only thought running through Emma Swan's mind as she poured on the speed, her boots pounding on the concrete as she sprinted down the sidewalk. The two boys she was in the process of chasing down caught up to a third and-together-the little brats ducked around a corner and into an alley. Emma swore and took an earlier turn, hoping to intercept them on the other side of the building. To her great luck, the youngest of the boys stumbled and bumped into an adjacent fence after taking the turn too quickly. A hand shot out and snatched him by the collar before he could bolt away.

"Gotcha!" the sheriff jerked him back and he squealed so loudly that his two brothers stumbled to a stop and stared back at them, mouths gaping. Emma took the moment to catch her breath, chest heaving as she readjusted her firm grip on the youngest boy. "God. For three little pigs, you're pretty quick."

None of them said anything as the two older boys shuffled closer, unwilling to run off without their third partner in crime. Emma shook her head at them, almost scoldingly.

"John, Chet, and Duffy Bacon, right? Why don't you tell me what you were doing messing with someone else's motorcycle?"

By the time the three brothers had gotten through their excuses and argued over how their actions were justifiable, a headache had found its way to Emma's right temple and she found herself rubbing her fingers against it for relief. It still annoyed her to no ends that old grievances from the Enchanted Forest kept popping up, even now. Admittedly it was odd that someone new had appeared in town at all-they hadn't opened any new portals or rifts to the Enchanted Forest lately-but she wasn't having any of it, and stuck a finger up to interrupt as Duffy sucked in a breath to make another argument.

"Look, I don't care about what the big bad wolf did to you in the past. This is Storybrooke, and here, we don't go around sabotaging people's bikes. I see you causing trouble again, I'll be the one huffing and puffing on your doorstep next, got it?"

The brothers look unimpressed with her joke but muttered their promises to behave and hurried away before she could change her mind. Shaking her head, Emma headed back to Granny's to finish the breakfast she'd been denied earlier. Not that she could really blame Archie for disrupting her; the man was so sweet. He'd just been taking Pongo for a walk when he'd noticed the wannabee vandals, and immediately rushed to alert the Sheriff of their mischief. She just wished she'd had a chance to eat before going on a morning run.

The diner was more populated when she returned but thankfully her food and coffee had been left alone at the table in the corner. She returned to her seat after returning a few waves and greetings. Despite having been here a few years already, she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to always being acknowledged and greeted everywhere she went. It was such a change from the lonely life she'd known until now that she wasn't sure she wanted to get used to it. She wanted to remember the feeling of genuine surprise and happiness every time, to never take it for granted.

"Hang on, I'll get you some fresh coffee," Ruby offered as she ducked around the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. Emma smiled gratefully as her cup was refilled, forking down a mouthful of eggs and hash-browns in hopes that it would ease her headache. Ruby glanced out the window across the street to where a motorcycle was parked by the curb.

"What was that about, anyway?"

"Bacon brothers," Emma said around a mouthful. "Messing with someone's bike in broad daylight."

"The three little pigs? But they're sweet, even to me."

Emma just shrugged. "Apparently not to everyone. Which reminds me, I'll have to talk to Regina and Mary Margaret later. We have a new resident from the Enchanted Forest."

At that, Ruby's eyebrows shot up. "What? How? Who?"

The door chimed before Emma had a chance to respond, and in walked a man the sheriff had never seen before. Like August (and Hook, to some degree, though Emma was more annoyed than charmed by him nowadays) the man was young and handsome in a dark leather jacket and black jeans, with stubble on his rugged jawline and a smile that promised trouble playing on his lips. Unlike the other two, however, his hair was silver and his eyes were a bright, stormy grey. Emma thought 'silver fox' would have been a good descriptor if not for the aggressive, predatory way that he walked and assessed his surroundings.

"You!" Ruby snarled. Before Emma knew what was going on, the waitress had lunged at the man with a murderous look in her eyes.

"Ruby!" Emma jumped from her seat at the same time the man moved to defend himself, deflecting Ruby's outstretched arms and throwing her off balance so that he could grapple her from behind, effectively trapping her in a full nelson. Ruby's shriek of anger brought Granny running out from the kitchen in alarm.

"Whoa, hey! Let her go! Ruby, stop!" Emma winced as one of Ruby's flailing fists clipped her on the jaw. "Calm down!"

The waitress thrashed angrily, her eyes ablaze with hatred as the man gave Emma a cursory glance.

"Let her go," Emma said again, flashing her badge. The man's lip twitched and he relented, releasing Ruby and taking a big step back at the same time to avoid her flailing limbs.

"Ruby- Ruby!" Emma grabbed her friend, halting her attempt to attack the man again, and hissed into her ear, "Stop! You're making a scene in front of half the town!"

At that, Ruby bared her teeth but ceased her struggling. Emma was about to ask what in the world was going on when there was a telltale click of a bolt being loaded.

"Get out," Granny said, pointing her crossbow at the silver haired man. Everyone in the diner grew silent, Emma included, uncertain of whether she should intervene or not. This morning had escalated really quickly.

After a long moment, the man smiled politely.

"As you wish." He held his hands up in surrender and slipped out the door, his gaze never leaving Ruby's face as he did so. When the door snapped shut, everyone returned to their business as if nothing had happened, and Granny returned her crossbow to its hiding place under the counter. Emma still wasn't sure if, as Sheriff, she was supposed to have some sort of objection about the bed and breakfast owner storing a loaded crossbow in the diner. Then again, she didn't want to be on the receiving end of that bolt either.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked, bewildered and exasperated. Ruby glowered and pulled her arm out of Emma's firm grip.

"Ask him yourself," she grunted, then she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Anything else weird going to happen this morning?" Emma muttered to herself, giving her leftover breakfast a longing look before sighing and heading out the door. The stranger hadn't gotten far; in fact, he was just swinging his leg over the motorcycle parked across the street when Emma hurried towards him.

"Hey! Wait up."

She hadn't meant to flash him her gun, really. Her red leather jacket flared open as she ran across the street and his eyes landed on it with a twitch of his lip. Leaning back some, he offered a fuller smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What can I do you for?" he drawled lazily, his voice smooth and deep like a shot of whiskey. Emma faltered at his wording, but only for a moment.

"I'm Sheriff Swan. Just wanted to ask you about what happened back there."

A pause. Then, "Grayson," he grunted. "Ask away, Sheriff."

"How do you know Ruby?"

His eyes glinted at that. "We crossed paths a few times in the past."

"In the Enchanted Forest?"

"Yes."

"Want to tell me why she attacked you on sight back there?"

He shrugged. "Personal reasons, Sheriff. Let's just say that we were friendly, real friendly. Now we're not."

Emma arched a brow. "Okay. Who were you in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Still just Grayson." His lips stretched into a grin. "Though some called me the Big Bad Wolf."

Ah, there it was. It explained why the Bacon brothers had targeted his bike. "Huh. Are you like Ruby? A werewolf?"

"That I am." He gave a lazy nod.

"Alright. How did you get here? To Storybrooke, I mean."

Grayson's brows lifted. "I drove. On my bike."

Seriously, what was with men in leather jackets riding their motorcycles into town?

"But that's not possible," she said instead.

The newest barrier was still up, keeping residents in and outsiders out. Anyone who stepped out of the town line would turn around to find an empty road leading to the next town over, and anyone outside, well… they just drove right through Storybrooke without even knowing it. Even Rumplestiltskin hadn't been able to return after Belle banished him across the line. There was no way Grayson could have just driven in… yet her 'superpower' sensed that he wasn't lying.

Grayson was giving her an odd look as if she were speaking nonsense. "I've been in this world since the Evil Queen's curse, if that's what you're wondering about. Didn't end up in Storybrooke though, but from what I've heard, I should consider myself lucky. Now if it's all the same to you, Sheriff, I gotta look for somewhere to stay. I doubt I'm welcome at Granny's BnB."

"Uh, sure. Right." She stepped back awkwardly as his bike roared to life and he cruised it off down the street, leaving her with more questions than answers. Pulling her cellphone from her pocket, she automatically hit speed dial before remembering that a certain someone might not want to hear from her after Robin and Roland's very permanent departure from Storybrooke. With Marian, no less.

Crap. Hang up. Hang up!

"What is it, Miss Swan?" She'd reverted to formalities again after Emma's absolute fuck up, and the blonde couldn't even be mad about it. She'd ruined Regina's happy ending by bringing Robin's wife back to life (entirely by accident, mind you.) It was a miracle Regina hadn't ripped her heart out and beat her to death with it. At the very least, she'd expected a fireball to the ass. Still, Emma couldn't help but wonder if the brunette would ever call her by her first name again, the way she used to. Emma had liked the way Regina said her name, with warmth and familiarity… and trust. God, she fucked up.

"Uhh." Words escaped her. Maybe if she hung up now, Regina would think it was an accidental butt dial.

"Stop breathing into the phone and use your words, Sheriff. I don't have all day."

Damnit. "We have a new fairytale character in Storybrooke."

A pause. Emma heard the softest intake of breath and could almost visualize the former mayor's red lips sucking in oxygen in preparation for a lecture or scolding.

"It's the Big Bad Wolf," the blonde blurted in addition.

"That's not possible. No one can enter Storybrooke."

"Well according to him, he just rode his motorcycle into town today."

Another long pause. Emma was worried the brunette was silently judging her when finally Regina said, "I felt a pulse of magic earlier this morning. It was so brief I thought I was just imagining it, but perhaps it has something to do with our new friend."

Relief flooded through Emma at Regina's amicable tone. Maybe they could still work together after all.

"Take him in for questioning. He has to be working with someone else. The mutt isn't capable of magic, and it has to have taken some powerful magic to get into Storybrooke."

"I can't arrest him for no reason, Regina," Emma said, skeptical. "Maybe the barrier's acting up. I should go check it out first, see if there's a… hole or something."

"A hole doesn't just appear in the barrier, Miss Swan. You'd be wasting your time. Tail the wolf around town and see what he's up to. Stalking is one of your specialties, isn't it?" Emma could almost envision the curl of Regina's lips as she sneered.

"I'll keep an eye on him," the Sheriff muttered, ready to end the call.

Before she could, Regina interjected with, "Did you make sure Henry finished his homework last night? It was due today and he has a pop quiz in the afternoon."

Emma froze, drudging up the memory of last night… in which she and Henry watched a marathon of Star Wars and ate popcorn until falling into a food coma. He hadn't mentioned homework. Was she supposed to ask him about homework? Oh crap. Regina was going to kill her. The phone slid away from her ear as she struggled for an excuse.

"Miss Swan?"

She could hear the annoyance rising in Regina's voice. She panicked.

"I should go." She hung up.

Ah crap.