Chapter 1

'Dear Diary,

Today marks the day of the worst event of my life. That day, ten years ago, started like any other, a regular Saturday morning filled with cartoons and breakfast in mom and dads bed. Mom would always complain that they would be getting ants in their bed, but somehow dad always managed to convince her. I remember thinking: 'that's how it's supposed to be', love. Mom was going to drive me to my first soccer game around 11, too bad we never made it. Dad was helping Neal and his wife moving to their new place and-

Before you get confused, you know my grandpa Henry died when I was two and grandma Cora remarried with grandpa Leopold. Grandpa Leopold was once married to a woman named Eva, but she died a long time before he met my grandma Cora. Anyway, he already had two children with Eva: Rose and Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret married David, they also have two children, I know, boring. When I grow up I don't want children, l- sorry, getting off track here. Where was I? Oh yeah, those two children; Emma and Neal are my moms age. That is the Neal who my dad helped moving, well, wanted to, tried to.

Dad was driving to their place when a truck driver hit him. He drove through a red signal while being on the phone, fucking asshole (mom, if you are reading this: THIS IS MY PRIVATE DIARY!). They said dad never felt any pain, but I don't believe them. The one second that he saw that truck coming for him he must have felt a little bit of ache, realizing that he would never see his wife and children again.

I can't believe it has already been ten years. I was six when it happened, Henry four. Mom never went on a date after his death, though I think I saw her looking at a few women once.. It would totally make sense since she spoke about a girl in her diary from when she was in high school. She still gets incredibly sad on this day, we all do. His death was the worst that could have ever happened to us.

Though, little that we knew that dad's death was the beginning of all the drama that was going to happen. My mom blamed Neal and his family, and is still refusing to attend any family gatherings of any sort. They are strangers to most of us, the kids, but not to me. I remember most of them, and honestly I don't how mom does it. We live in a small town called Storybrooke and she never bothered to move away.

We'll talk later. Mom is calling.

Sigh.

Isabella'

…

''Isabella Avery Mills, how many times do I have to tell you to put your soccer clothes into the washing machine after your games? You know it will make your bag smell worse than your brother's teen sweat.''

Regina's sixteen year old daughter was running down the stairs, something she knew her mother hated, how many times did she warn the girl around those corners? Didn't she learn after already breaking her arm twice down those stairs. Of course not, she was her father's daughter. Her features might be all Regina, apart from that she was sure Daniel had secretly cloned his personality into her DNA.

''Mom, I swear-'' Isabella argued as she barged into the kitchen where her mother was cleaning up the last few dishes from dinner. The smell of a recently baked lasagna hitting her nostrils. ''I was going to put it away after I was done getting ready for Louise's party, and don't compare anything I own to the dork. People might think we are related.''

''You áre related, come on, Bella. Why do you always have to be so mean to your brother? Today of all days.'' Her mother shot her daughter a well-known look earning an eyeroll that was way too similar to her own, okay, maybe she was a bit like her too, but the majority was still Daniel.

With a grunt Isabella took place at the island. ''Easy for you to say.'' She mumbled, tapping her fingers on the white tile. Holding back another eyeroll she wanted to give her mother so badly.

''Isabella.'' Regina scolded again. The smell of Axe deodorant quickly filled the kitchen, the lecture about the attitude had to wait. Her fourteen-year-old son made his way into the kitchen. His eyes, his smile, his laugh, it was all Daniel. On this very day her favorite features about him turned on her and becoming one big dark blob, followed by a deep guilty feeling in her stomach. It was slightly difficult to look at him, but for his and her own sake she forced herself to do so with a smile on her face.

Henry took place at the kitchen island next to his sister, dressed in a striped black and white t-shirt and jeans, his brown hair long enough to fall over his ears, but not too shaggy. Regina would never allow her son to walk around looking like a homeless man as she would say. She was the mayor of this town and looking representable was one of her and her family's responsibilities. At school Henry was, unlike his sister, not popular, maybe a bit of a geek, but everyone always seemed to like him, unlike Isabella. ''Don't worry, mom. I rather be a dork than sucking my face to some football player's mouth.'' He grinned evilly, earning quite the punch against his shoulder.

''Isabella Avery Mills!''

''Mom- I swear, Henry doesn't know what he is talking about! He- I- We-'' Regina held up her hand to silence her daughter's rant.

The teenager bit on her lower lip as she stared right into her mother's dark brown eyes. Those squinting eyes told her that she was in big, humungous trouble. Crap, she was never going to see the daylight again, that was for sure.

This might be the reason why some referred to Regina as the Evil Queen. The way her daughter was looking at her said enough, but what did she expect? Rainbows, unicorn stickers and hugs? Oh hell no. She was nothing like the Blanchards. Regina was a firm believer in putting education first and horny teenage boys were not a part of that. No boy, or girl, was enough for daughter. Isabella and Henry were all that remained of Daniel on this planet earth, nothing was more precious to her than her children even if that meant she would get a bit protective now and then, or a little bit overprotective as Isabella and Henry would say. Oh god, she wasn't turning into her mother, was she?

She turned her attention back to her children, first glancing to her son. ''Henry, please go upstairs while I speak to Isabella. You enjoy seeing your sister in trouble too much for my liking. Maybe take a shower, your sister wasn't wrong about that.'' She teased. ''I will say my goodbyes when I leave.''

''I thought your meetings were on Tuesdays?''

''It got moved. Henry, having a calendar in the kitchen is going to be a waste when you don't look at it on a daily basis, young man.''

''Why can't you just text us?''

''Because I want my children to become active members of society who are able to write with their hands, you know, with a pen. I am sure you heard of it?'' That earned her an eyeroll of her son. If she wasn't teasing him she would, again, not approve of such manners, but she was already late and still had to lecture her daughter about sucking the air out of random teenage boys.

''Upstairs. Now.''

Not wanting to end up like his sister, Henry quickly nodded and made his way through wards the wooden stairs.

There was a moment of silence between mother and daughter, both not knowing where to start, though Regina was pretty sure her daughter was ready to flee the scene as she caught her looking at the backdoor a few times. Regina took place at the island opposite of where her daughter was sitting. When did her baby start running around kissing boys? Yes, she was sixteen, but she never heard Isabella mention a boy before and this was with the kind help of her brother.

''Are you having sex with him?''

Isabella's eyes grew so big Regina was afraid they would pop out of her head. ''WHAT!? No! Mom!'' With pink turning cheeks she started nervously playing with the edges of her sweater, frightened of what would come next.

Regina was having none of it. ''It is a pretty normal question to ask, Isabella. I am not the one who is running around kissing boys without bothering to mention it to my mother.'' She said sternly.

Isabella crossed her arms and shifted on her seat. ''Henry wasn't supposed to be there, okay? I was going to tell you..''

''But..'' Regina finished her daughter off. There was more coming, she could tell because after all, Isabella was her daughter. Daniels daughter. Confrontation was never his strongest suit either.

Isabella broke eye contact with her mother and swallowed. ''I didn't want to make you more emotional this week..'' She confessed, staring at an old family picture behind her mother right into her fathers eyes. Sometimes Isabella wondered if her father would be more chill about these things, her mother was so uptight. She didn't believe this wasn't all a part of being the mayor of Storybrooke, this was her mother being, her mother.

The silence between the two was unbelievably painful. Both parties were thinking hard and Regina herself had trouble keeping it together. All she wanted for her children was a life without worry, without sorrow and pain, and discovering her daughter was keeping things from her to protect her emotions was like an arrow in the heart. Plenty of mothers would probably find it sweet, but Regina was not your regular housewife.

''Listen to me very carefully, my dear daughter whom I love more than life itself.'' She said quietly. ''I am more than aware of the fact that you and your brother are no children anymore, and a part of growing into an adult is that you start noticing things more, such as my emotional state of this day, but know, and please take notes, staple it stuck into that incredible bright brain of yours because I don't want you to hold back for my well-being. I am going to be real with you here, Bella. I still get sad because your father was- is, the love of my life, nevertheless I am not the only one grieving here. You, and your brother, lost someone very important too. And if you are really concerned about me, know that the only way I can be fine if you tell me things, Isabella. Am I understood?''

With the words sinking in Isabella blinked away her tears, swallowed and sat up straight in her chair. ''His name is Aaron Thomas.. We have been together for a week and he is in my math class-''

…

Their conversation ended like any other. A hug followed by an 'I love you' showed the trueness between mother and daughter. Yes, she had hidden the fact that she had a boyfriend, yes, she made a mistake, but it never broke the strong bond between mother and daughter. Regina was very aware of what the teenage years were doing to Isabella, in some ways, not to her liking. She took more and more after her after all, but as long as her daughter came out happy with a high school diploma she had done her job. Well, most of it, of course she wanted her to go to college, but that is a conversation for another day.

After prying Henry away from his PlayStation she reminded him about the homework she was going to check when she got home. Once he was settled, Regina peeked her head into Isabella's room. Her daughter was lying on her bed that was placed in the middle of the room, with a book that seemed about math on her lap while listening to music that was loud enough for her mother to hear through her headphones. The red painted room's walls were covered with popular boyband posters and pictures of family and friends. Her room was tidy like Henry's since their mother did not allow any big messes in the bedrooms. A lavender scented candle was burning on her bedside table and it took her a few waves in front of her daughters face before being able to giving her a quick goodbye.

…

''My apologies, I am normally not late like this.'' Regina quickly took place at the head of the conference table and took out a notebook and pen. She looked at the ten other people sitting at the table, there were a few new faces, did her assistant mess up the council meeting with another? Maybe she was just getting old. ''There was a situation I had to take care of. Go on with whatever you were discussing, sheriff Humbert.''

The sheriff cleared his throat. ''We never heard back on the matters we voted on last week, madam mayor. Didn't you get the report Mr. Lopez sent you? From this meeting on we are joined by the whole sheriff's department during the weekly meetings. This to save time and avoid miscommunication in the department.''

Regina raised an eyebrow. ''I haven't been notified, but alright, continue.'' She made a mental note to speak with Maria, her assistant. The younger woman had a lot to explain about where the report of last weeks meeting went.

A door opened and closed, whoever decided to come in later than her to the meeting was making a very bad first impression. Regina didn't even bother to look up from her notes.

''I am so- so sorry.'' The voice rambled on as she audibly searched her bag for what Regina hoped to be a pen and some paper. ''There was this call at the station and this truck-'' The woman didn't even finish her sentence, her bag slipped out of her hands, followed by a few curse words and the content spread around the floor. The brunette sighed and bent down to pick up the items that landed at her feet, though dropped everything again when making eye contact with the latecomer.

The mayor looked right into her past.